Observers from 21 countries for Crimea referendum: Official

Some 50 foreigners from 21 countries will be present during Sunday' s referendum as international observers, the chief of the autonomous republic of Crimea's commission on preparing and holding the all-Crimean referendum said Friday.

At Friday' s briefing, Mikhail Malyshev said these observers who came from, among others, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Spain and the US, had been registered by his commission.

The commission chief told reporters that some 1.52 million Crimeans are eligible for the referendum, of which the first provisional result would come out Monday. Ballot papers have already been distributed to 27 sub-commissions on the peninsula.

Voters will have two options: to unite with Russia or remain in Ukraine with increased autonomy.

The Crimean parliament Tuesday adopted a declaration of independence from Ukraine, which specified that Crimea would become independent if around two million residents vote in favour of joining Russia in the referendum. - IANS