MOSCOW, November 1 (RIA Novosti), Daria Chernyshova — The upcoming elections in the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk are legitimate and in line with international law, Venice's delegate for independence and professor of European history at the University of Insubria Paolo Bernardini told RIA Novosti.
"These elections are absolutely legitimate as far as international law is concerned. Should the EU and the USA have doubts about their procedure, they should send observers as has happened in a number of cases, from Kosovo to South Sudan," Bernardini said.
On November 2, the people of Donetsk and Luhansk will hold elections for regional leaders and legislative bodies, despite Kiev's intention to hold local elections in these regions on December 7.
Bernardini noted that he looks at these new states in the making with "strong sympathy", as they embody the realization of the principle of self-determination.
"The principle of self-determination is one of, if not the only core value of the UN, and the founding nations of the UN should not forget this, unless they forget their very same soul and origins. The DPR [Donetsk People's Republic] and LPR [Luhansk People's Republic] have all the legitimacy they need, should the referendum be won with an absolute majority," Paolo Bernardini told RIA Novosti.
The European Union and the United States have already made it clear that they would not recognize the elections, and US Secretary of State John Kerry said Moscow's recognition of the rebel vote would be "a clear violation of the commitments made by both Russia and the separatists" in the Minsk protocol.
"Mr. Kerry should know that history evolves, and makes treaties, often in a short time, dead letters. Furthermore, any American citizen aware of his or her own history should avoid stigmatizing self-determination processes. If one reminds them of the 4th of July, does it still ring a bell in their minds, and in their hearts? At this point, I very much doubt that. At least, for Mr. Obama and Mr. Kerry," Bernardini added.
Following a February coup in Kiev, residents of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine established so-called people's republics and later declared independence. The crisis escalated in mid-April, when Kiev authorities launched a military operation against independence supporters.
On September 5, the conflicting sides agreed on a ceasefire during a meeting of the trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine in Minsk. A memorandum specifying the implementation of the ceasefire was adopted at another Contact Group meeting on September 19.
