Recent remarks by China's ambassador to France questioning the sovereignty of former Soviet states such as Ukraine are totally unacceptable, several EU foreign ministers said before a meeting on Monday, APA reports citing Reuters.
"It is totally unacceptable", Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said ahead of the Luxembourg meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers. "I hope the bosses of this ambassador will make these things straight."
Asked about his position on whether Crimea was part of Ukraine or not, Chinese ambassador to Paris Lu Shaye said in an interview aired on French television on Friday that historically it was part of Russia and had been offered to Ukraine by former Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev.
"These ex-USSR countries don't have actual status in international law because there is no international agreement to materialize their sovereign status," Lu added.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said such comments were "completely unacceptable" and said the three Baltic countries - all formerly part of the Soviet Union - would summon Chinese representatives later in the day to officially ask for clarification and check if its position had changed.
France, Ukraine and the three Baltic states all expressed dismay at Lu's comments over the weekend.
Asked if Lu's stance represented China's official position, China's foreign ministry spokesperson said Beijing respected the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries and upholds the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.
China has been "objective and impartial" on issues of sovereignty, the spokesperson told a regular news briefing.
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