New Delhi, March 6 (IANS): India Thursday hoped that the crisis in the Ukraine will be settled peacefully and a satisfactory solution found to the broader issues concerning the region.

“We are watching the situation with some concern. We hope the internal issues will be settled peacefully,” National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon told the media.

“The situation is fluid... There are broader issues involved. We hope these will be discussed and a satisfactory solution found,” Menon added at a briefing here on the third meeting of a regional maritime security grouping.

Following Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych's ouster by parliament Feb 22, the autonomous republic of Crimea, home to Russia's Black Sea Fleet, has become the epicentre of the ongoing crisis in the country.

Last Thursday, Crimea's regional parliament appointed Sergey Aksyonov, leader of the Russian Unity Party, as prime minister in a closed session and announced that a referendum would be held over the future status of the territory March 30.

Aksyonov said Saturday he had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to help ensure peace in the pro-Russian region.

Ukrainian parliament Speaker Alexandr Turchynov, who is also the country's acting president, later signed a decree rejecting Aksyonov's new capacity.