Xinhua, Ottawa :
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a statement Monday, announcing that his country will implement more economic sanctions against a broad range of entities related to various Russian sectors.
“The outrageous and criminal act of shooting down a civilian airliner last week is a direct product of Russia’s military aggression and illegal occupation of Ukraine, and demonstrates the need for the international community to continue applying pressure on the Putin regime,” Harper said in the statement.
“It is clear that the Putin regime’s continuing provocative military action against Ukraine, its illegal occupation of the Crimean peninsula, and its failure to end its support to armed separatist groups in eastern Ukraine constitute a threat to international peace and security,” said Harper.
Following consultation and coordination with Canada’s closest international partners and allies, said the Canadian prime minister, his government will be imposing new sanctions against a broad range of entities related to various Russian sectors in tandem with Canada’s partners in the international community for both rapid implementation and maximum effect.
Since the onset of the Ukrainian crisis, the Harper administration has imposed sanctions against 110 individuals and entities responsible for “violating the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine.”
“We call on President Putin to immediately order a withdrawal of his troops from the Ukrainian border, to stop the flow of weapons and militants into Ukraine, and to use Russia’s influence to persuade insurgents to lay down their weapons and renounce violence. It is also imperative that investigators be given full, unimpeded access to the crash site of the downed Malaysian airliner,” Karper added.
