NATO warns Russia against stationing nuclear weapons in Crimea
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E-mail Xinhua, May 14, 2015
NATO member states and Ukraine expressed concern on Wednesday about statements from Russia for possible future stationing of nuclear weapons in Crimea region, which has been annexed by Russian Federation in 2014.
"We are deeply concerned by statements of the Russian leadership with regard to possible future stationing of nuclear weapons and their delivery systems in Crimea, which would be destabilizing," NATO and Ukraine foreign ministers said in a joint statement after meeting in the southern Turkish city of Antalya.
The statement also condemned "Russia's aggressive actions and continued violation of international law and its international obligations" and demanded Moscow to fully abide by international law.
The statement urged Russia to stop its "continued and deliberate destabilization of eastern Ukraine."
The alliance voiced deep concern about the "worsening human rights situation" on the peninsula and urged Russia to respect the rights and freedoms of local people, including the native Crimean Tatars and other members of local communities, and to allow for international monitoring of the human rights situation in Crimea.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also urged Moscow to immediately halt its support of the separatists and withdraw heavy weaponry from the conflict zone.
"Actions speak louder than words... Now is the time to act. There is urgency when it comes to fulfilling the Minsk agreement," he said.
The hosting Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also warned Russia and said its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine "cannot be accepted in any way."
He stressed that it was "crucial" to prevent the isolation of Crimean Tatars on the peninsula.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said now it was a "critical" time for Russia to fulfill the obligations in the ceasefire agreed in Minsk in 2015.
He also urged Russia to allow observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) into the conflict areas to monitor the truce.
Kerry's remarks came after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.
The U.S. and NATO member states would prefer not to keep sanctions in place against Russia but would keep the measures in order to ensure peace in Ukraine, he said in Antalya.
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