Ukrainian MP Mr. Mustafa Dzhemilev, who had been a long-time leader of the Crimean Tatar Mejlis, speaks about the results of his visit to Russia, his telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin and his attitude to the Crimean referendum.
You had a telephone conversation with Russian President Putin during your visit to Russia. Who initiated it?
— When I went to Russia, I only had a scheduled meeting with Tatarstan former President Mr. Mintimer Shaimiev. We were going to meet in Kazan, but Shaimiev informed President of Russian Federation about these plans. Whereon, Mr. Putin advised us both to come to Moscow and promised he’d talk to me over the phone after my meeting with Shaimiev.
In my conversation with Mr.Putin a variety of topical questions were raised, namely forthcoming referendum, status of Crimea, Ukraine’s non-divisibility.
Were there any agreements reached?
— Putin promised to promote solving social and legal problems of Crimean Tatars more consistently than the Ukrainian Government did.
And what did you discuss with Mintimer Shaimiev?
— Our meeting has been quite long and productive. He said that there are matters that he could solve and promised to do just that. He promised to guarantee the Crimean Tatars’ safety, to lobby solving our social problems. As for the presence of Russian troops on our land and ownership of Crimea, these are the issues out of his influence, though he promised to acknowledge our position.
Have you discussed your visit to Russia in Kyiv?
— We have a close cooperation on different issues with the new Government, so they knew about my conversation with Vladimir Putin. Everything has been settled with the Ukrainian Government which is absolutely legitimate for everyone except out “neighbour of the North”.
How the Crimean Tatars feel about the referendum of March 16?
— We published an extraordinary appeal to not only Crimean Tatars, but every Crimean, where we explained why this referendum is illegitimate, so it would be better if people didn’t participate in it, as it’s results won't be legitimate for anyone including the Crimean tatars.
What are you planning to do after the referendum?
— We will act according to the instructions given by the Ukrainian Government. I told Putin that we won’t mess with the Russian army, that the number of us is too small.
How do you take the promise of the Crimean Government to provide the Crimean tatars with a 20% quota in the governing bodies?
— Yes, they announced such proposal. If the Ukrainian Government decides to abandon Crimea for some reason (though I strongly doubt that), we’ll look for some solution. But this doesn’t cancel our main demand, which is Ukraine’s non-divisibility. In other case, a large-scale conflict is unavoidable. Crimea is our Homeland, and we’re not leaving it at any price.
by Olga Kuznetsova, for “the Kommersant”
