Legal Process of Crimean Reunification to Finish This Week

MOSCOW, March 20 (RIA Novosti) – The legal process of reunifying Crimea as part of Russia will be completed by the end of the week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday.

"At the moment, practical steps are ongoing to implement the agreement signed between the leaders of the Russian Federation, Crimea and the city of Sevastopol,” Lavrov said to a gathering of Russian diplomatic officials.

"The legal process will be completed this week,” he added.

Residents of Crimea overwhelmingly voted in a referendum Sunday to seek reunification with Russia after 60 years as part of Ukraine.

A treaty providing for the Black Sea peninsula’s accession was signed by Crimean leaders and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday in the Kremlin.

RIA Novosti