Crimea parliament decision 'illegitimate': Ukraine PM

Ukraine interim premier Arseniy Yatsenyuk today dubbed as "illegitimate" a request by the local parliament in Crimea to become part of Russia.
"This is an illegitimate decision," Yatsenyuk told reporters after talks with EU leaders holding an emergency meeting on the Ukraine crisis.
"We urge the Russian government not to support those who advocate separatism," he added.
Pro-Moscow lawmakers in Crimea made the request to Russian President Vladimir Putin and said they would put the question to a referendum on March 16 as Russian forces maintained their grip on the strategic Black Sea peninsula.
The referendum, brought forward from a planned March 30 date, will also ask if residents want to a return to a previous 1992 constitution that gave the region sweeping autonomy.

"Crimea is and will be an integral part of Ukraine," Yatsenyuk said. "This so-called referendum has no grounds at all."

The premier said he had very frank and open talks with EU leaders, stressing the need to find a peaceful, political solution to a crisis sparked in November when pro-Russia president Viktor Yanukovych ditched an EU association accord under pressure from Moscow.
Kiev was ready to sign the pact which would have put Ukraine on course for closer ties with the EU.
"The Ukraine government is determined to sign the (EU) association agreement... We are ready as soon as possible," he said.

Yatsenyuk called on Russia to respect its international obligations towards Ukraine -- enshrined in a 1994 treaty also signed by the US and Britain.
"We are ready for cooperation but we are not ready to surrender and be the subordinate of Russia," he said.
Putin has been building up "a new wall of intimidation, of military aggression," he said, calling on the Russian president instead to pull that wall down and to build a "new relationship".
Kiev said it had refused to be provoked by Russian actions and wanted above all to solve the issue peacefully.
"But in case of further escalation and military intervention... The Ukraine government and military will act in accordance with the constitution.

"We are ready to protect our country," he said.
EU leaders meanwhile continued their talks amid differences over how far to go to sanction Moscow for its actions in Ukraine.
Moscow satellites, want a much tougher line with sanctions.