G7 warns Crimea vote to secede from Ukraine won't be recognized

WASHINGTON, March 12 (UPI) -- Leaders of the Group of Seven industrialized nations said Wednesday they won't recognize a referendum for Crimea to break away from Ukraine and join Russia.

The leaders, in a statement issued from the White House, also call on Russia "to cease all efforts to change the status of Crimea contrary to Ukrainian law and in violation of international law ... [and] to immediately halt actions supporting a referendum on the territory of Crimea regarding its status, in direct violation of the Constitution of Ukraine."

The statement was from leaders of the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Britain, along with the presidents of the European Council and the European Commission.

"Any such referendum would have no legal effect," the statement said. "Given the lack of adequate preparation and the intimidating presence of Russian troops, it would also be a deeply flawed process which would have no moral force. For all these reasons, we would not recognize the outcome."

If Russia annexes the autonomous, pro-Moscow Crimea region, it would be in "clear violation" of the U.N. Charter, Russia's commitments under the Helsinki Final Act and its commitments in the Budapest Memorandum of 1994, as well as several other treaties and agreements.

"[The] annexation of Crimea could have grave implications for the legal order that protects the unity and sovereignty of all states," the statement said. "Should the Russian Federation take such a step, we will take further action, individually and collectively."

Thousands of troops moved into the Crimea region soon after pro-Russia Viktor Yanukovych was ousted as Ukraine's president late last month. Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied the troops are Russian, but they have been seen in military vehicles bearing Russian license plates, among other things.