In Kyiv they propose to lease Sevastopol to the Russian Federation for 99 years and hold a second referendum
Ukraine should offer Russia joint management of Crimea, and after 20 years, if necessary, bring the issue of the peninsula’s status to a second referendum.
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This is stated in a report on the normalization of relations with Russia by Vasyl Filipchuk, Chairman of the Board of the International Center for Advanced Studies and former Director of the Department of European Integration of the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
Among a number of initiatives, a settlement of the status of the Crimean Peninsula is proposed.
“To resolve the Crimean problem, the parties will separate and separately resolve the issue of the status of Crimea and the military base in Sevastopol. Regarding Sevastopol, Ukraine will agree to lease it to the Russian Federation for 99 years, following the example of Britain’s lease of Hong Kong in China. That is, the Russian Federation recognizes the formal sovereignty of Ukraine over Sevastopol, and Ukraine allows the Russian Federation to have its own administration and management of the city. Sevastopol is recognized under formal Ukrainian sovereignty, but is separated by an administrative border from Crimea, is governed by a Russian-appointed governor, and is a Russian military base. Double money circulation, special customs regime, and so on are allowed,” the report notes.
For the rest of Crimea, a conflict resolution model is proposed, which was applied in Northern Ireland.
“A moratorium on the status of Crimea is being established for 20 years. The peninsula remains under Ukrainian sovereignty, but all state powers and functions with the exception of external, security, and monetary circulation are transferred to local authorities. All citizens who live in the region can freely choose Ukrainian or Russian citizenship; the choice of citizenship cannot cause any discrimination, including with regard to holding positions in local authorities.
All taxes remain in Crimea, the government is formed on the principle of ethnic and religious quotas with the consent of Kyiv, which is granted after consultations with the Russian Federation. To monitor the preservation of peace and human rights on the peninsula, international monitoring missions are being introduced. After 20 years, the parties, if necessary, jointly hold a referendum in Crimea on whether the island belongs to Ukraine or the Russian Federation, the results of which they agree to unconditionally recognize and make appropriate changes to their constitutions on ownership. If the proposed model of dual sovereignty suits both the parties and the residents of the peninsula, then the status will remain unchanged,” the document says.
“On the Crimean Peninsula and the Black Sea, joint economic activity and resource development are permitted, joint “Free Economic Zones” and “territories of separate development” are created, the gambling business is developed, and so on. Ukraine and Russia proclaim Crimea as a territory of friendship and partnership, and jointly make investments in the development of the peninsula,” the Ukrainian diplomat puts forward another initiative.
It is worth noting that the Russian leadership has repeatedly stated that the issue of the status of Crimea, which joined the Russian Federation in accordance with the will of the inhabitants of the peninsula, is closed and is not a subject for discussion.
Kyiv proposes leasing Sevastopol to Russia for 99 years and holding a repeat referendum.