克里米亚议会投票赞成加入俄罗斯

Lawmakers in the embattled Ukrainian region of Crimea have voted to join Russia, in a move likely to further escalate tensions.

Thursday\'s vote by the Moscow-backed Crimean parliament comes as European Union leaders gather for an emergency summit in Brussels to discuss how to pressure Russia to back down from its military incursion into Crimea. U.S. lawmakers are also meeting Thursday to discuss potential economic sanctions against Russia.

The government of Crimea, a Black Sea peninsula with a majority Russian population, said Thursday it is scheduling a referendum on joining Russia for March 16. Russian President Vladimir Putin is being asked to consider the appeal.

The Reuters news agency quotes Ukraine\'s economy minister ((Pavlo Sheremeta)) as saying the referendum on Crimea\'s status is "unconstitutional."

Crimea\'s move to leave Ukraine is likely to shake up efforts toward a diplomatic resolution to the crisis.

受到俄罗斯支持的克里米亚议会星期四举行投票的同时，欧盟领导人在布鲁塞尔举行紧急峰会，讨论如何向俄罗斯施压，迫使它从克里米亚撤军。美国国会星期四也开会讨论对俄罗斯实施经济制裁的问题。

位于黑海半岛的克里米亚人口的绝大多数是俄罗斯族人，克里米亚政府星期四说，它计划于3月16号就是否加入俄罗斯举行全民公决，并要求俄罗斯总统普京考虑这一请求。

路透社援引乌克兰经济部长的话说，有关克里米亚地位的全民公决是“违反宪法的”。

克里米亚与乌克兰分离的动向可能会动摇各方通过外交解决危机的努力。