Turkey reiterates it does not recognize Russia's attempts to annex Crimea

This was said in a statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on the occasion of the seventh anniversary of the illegal annexation of Crimea, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“We reiterate that we do not recognize the de-facto situation on the peninsula which constitutes a breach of international law and confirm our support to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” the statement reads.

The ministry also underlines the importance of protecting the cultural identity, safety and well-being of the Crimean Tatar Turks, who are among the constituent people of the peninsula.

“We will continue to closely monitor the developments in Crimea,” the ministry added.

On March 16, 2014, contrary to Ukrainian legislation and the legislation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, a so-called "referendum" on the status of Crimea was held in the Russian-occupied Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. According to the official data of the aggressor state, 96.77% of Crimean residents allegedly supported the annexation of the peninsula to Russia, while 95.6% of Sevastopol residents "voted" in favor of joining Russia.

Two days later, on March 18, 2014, the so-called agreement on the accession of the Republic of Crimea to the Russian Federation was signed at the Kremlin.

Most UN member states and other international organizations declared the Crimean referendum falsified by the occupiers illegitimate.

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