Armenia and Belarus refused to sign the final Declaration of the summit of "Eastern partnership" in Riga, if it contains the phrase "illegal annexation" of Crimea, informs Reuters referring to diplomatic sources.
As told sources, from the beginning expected to write in Riga Declaration about "illegal annexation" of Crimea by Russia, but such wording, faced with opposition of Belarus and Armenia. For this reason, most likely, will be presented a corrected version of the document, where the positions of the EU and partner countries will be presented separately, reports RIA " Novosti ".
"in the text will indicate that the EU condemns the situation in Crimea will also be identified the position of the partner countries, the views they expressed during the voting in the UN in March 2014, when Armenia and Belarus took the side of the Russian capital (voted against the decision, calling the Crimean referendum invalid) ", - reports the Agency." It's difficult dialogues, " said one diplomat following the talks in Brussels on the Declaration. Draft text of the joint statement will consider on Thursday evening, the foreign Minister of the EU and the six partner countries. The fourth summit of "Eastern partnership" opens on Thursday in Riga." Eastern partnership - the EU-funded project on development of cooperation with European and Transcaucasian Soviet republics. 3 of the six countries participating in the project - Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia in 2014 signed the Treaty on the Union with the EU. Russian envoy to the EU Vladimir Chizhov have said before, that work on a final Declaration rather tense: some countries want to strengthen anti-Russian orientation, and others that create obstacles. In Crimea on March 16 of last year held a referendum on the status of autonomy, more than 96% of participants who were in favor of joining region in Russia. On March 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the law on ratification of the agreement on joining of the Crimea and Sevastopol a part of Russia, as well as the decree about formation of the Crimean Federal district.

sections: Politics