France, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania react strongly and demand explanations from the Chinese ambassador to France, Lu Shaye, who questions the status of former Soviet states as sovereign states and independent.
The statements then fell the French television channel LCI On Friday, the ambassador asked for his opinion on whether or not the Crimean peninsula belongs to Ukraine. The answer was that the peninsula was historically part of Russia and had been gifted to Ukraine by former Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev.
REACTS FASTLY: EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. Photo: BNT
– It depends on how you perceive the problem, began Lu.
– These former Soviet states have no real status under international law, because there is no international agreement confirming their sovereign status, he continued.
– An absurd version
France reacted accordingly Reuters Sunday to express “full solidarity” with the aforementioned allied countries, which had achieved independence “after decades of oppression”.
– Ukraine’s borders, including the Crimean peninsula, were recognized by the entire international community in 1991, including China, a French Foreign Ministry spokesman said – adding that the China will have to clarify whether Ambassador Lu Shaye’s remarks represent Beijing’s position or not.
The Baltic countries and Ukraine have all reacted in the direction of France.
“It is strange to hear a nonsensical version of the ‘Crimean story’ from a representative of a country that has no qualms about its 1,000-year history. (… ) If you want to be a major political player, don’t repeat the propaganda of Russian foreigners,” presidential adviser Mykhailo Podoljak wrote on Twitter.
– Completely unacceptable
Edgars Rinkēvičs, Latvian Foreign Minister have in the same channel informed that his ministry has summoned the Chinese ambassador to Latvia on the carpet to explain himself, and that the measure is coordinated with Lithuania and Estonia. He calls Lu Shaye’s comments ‘completely unacceptable’ and demands respect policy that they are removed.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also used the word “unacceptable” in a tweet on Sunday.
China’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately return Reuters requests for comment.
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