Ukraine delegation walks out of Black Sea meeting

By Emin Ileri, Gulsum Incekaya and Andac Hongur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Tensions between Russian and Ukrainian delegations at an economic meeting in Istanbul boiled over on Wednesday about the issue of Crimea.

Ukraine’s delegation objected to a Russian lawmaker, Pavel Shperov, being made a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of Black Sea Economic Cooperation because he was purportedly elected in Crimea.

The Black Sea territory was annexed by Russia after an illegal independence vote in 2014.

During a session to confer new "licenses of authority", Ukrainian delegation chair Lyudmyla Denisova said Crimea remained Ukrainian soil and described the situation as “unacceptable”.

Denisova objected to Shperov being described as a lawmaker for the Russian Duma when “Crimea is an indivisible part of Ukraine".

She said Russia had invaded Crimea, therefore elections held there were invalid. Denisova also demanded Shperov leave the meeting hall.

Russian delegation head Michael Emelyanov rejected the Ukrainian claims saying: "Pavel Shperov is not elected from Crimea, he is elected from [a] federal list".

The Ukrainian delegation later walked out in protest.

Speaking to reporters in a break between sessions, Turkish delegation head, Ramazan Can, said the license of authority of Shperov had not been confirmed, meaning the Russian lawmaker would not have the right to attend forthcoming sessions.

Can said a permanent committee would evaluate the issue, but as it takes decisions unanimously, if Ukraine objects to Shperov's license of authority, it will not be confirmed.

Ukraine has been wracked by conflict since March 2014 following Russia’s occupation of Crimea after an internationally unrecognized independence vote.

The UN General Assembly later voted to proclaim the Russian annexation illegal.

Along with many UN member nations, the U.S., EU and Turkey also do not recognize Crimea as Russian territory.