Tatarstan's President Signs Cooperation Agreement With Crimea

Tatarstan's President Rustam Minnikhanov (right) in Simferopol on March 5.

The president of Russia's Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, and the pro-Russian prime minister of Ukraine's Crimea, Serhiy Aksyonov, have signed an agreement on cooperation.

Minnikhanov told journalists after the signing ceremony on March 5 that the concrete details of the bilateral cooperation will be outlined in a month.

Minnikhanov is expected to meet with Crimean parliament members and leaders of the Crimean Tatar community during his one-day visit.

Tatarstan's Grand Mufti Kamil Samigullin met with Crimean Tatar leaders on March 2.

Last week, two delegations of Tatar lawmakers visited Simferopol for talks with Crimean Tatars.

That visit came after thousands of Crimean Tatars scuffled with pro-Russian demonstrators outside the Crimean parliament, preventing lawmakers from holding an extraordinary session to debate the situation after the ouster of Ukraine's pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych.

Based on reporting by Interfax and ITAR-TASS