- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Italy FM's Crimea Statement Shows Poor Knowledge of History - Lawmaker

© Sputnik / Sergey Malgavko / Go to the mediabankCrimea, Russia. Yalta as seen from the Black Sea
Crimea, Russia. Yalta as seen from the Black Sea - Sputnik International
Subscribe
A member of Italy's Veneto regional council says that the recent statement made by Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano about non-recognition of Crimea's reunification with Russia shows the diplomat's poor knowledge of history.

Mothers with baby-strollers walk on the waterfront running along Massandra Beach, Yalta - Sputnik International
'It's Stupid to Be Afraid': Italian Politician on Yalta Economic Forum in Crimea
ROME (Sputnik) — The recent statement made by Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano about non-recognition of Crimea's reunification with Russia shows the diplomat's poor knowledge of history, Stefano Valdegamberi, a member of Italy's Veneto regional council, told Sputnik on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Alfano said that Italy would not recognize Crimea's reunification with Russia.

"Speaking about unwillingness to recognize Crimea as part of Russia, Foreign Minister Alfano shows that he does not know history and his position contradicts the views of majority of Crimean residents," Valdegamberi said.

The politician said that Crimea "had always been part of Russia" and its Russian-speaking residents supported the reunification by landslide majority of votes.

According to Valdegamberi, anti-Russia sanctions imposed on Moscow due to the Crimean issue harm the Italian economy, but Alfano is indifferent to such state of affairs.

"Such ministers as Alfano only make harm to Italy and hinder its development," the lawmaker added.

Valdegamberi is one of the authors of the Veneto regional council's resolution calling for the end to anti-Russia sanctions.

Crimea seceded from Ukraine and reunified with Russia after 96 percent of its residents supported such a move through a referendum in March 2014. The referendum was held after new authorities took power in Kiev after what many considered to be a coup.

The European Union, as well as Ukraine and several other countries, did not recognize the move and have imposed a series of anti-Moscow sanctions over Crimea's reunification with Russia. In response to the restrictive measures, Russia has imposed a food embargo on some products originating in countries that have targeted it with sanctions.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала