EU says aggressive remarks by Chinese ambassador to France are "unacceptable"
Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has said that the remarks made by China’s ambassador to France, Lu Shaye, regarding the status of post-Soviet countries are unacceptable.
Source: Josep Borrell on Twitter
Unacceptable remarks of the Chinese Ambassador to France questioning the sovereignty of the countries which became independent with the end of the Soviet Union in 1991.
The EU can only suppose these declarations do not represent China’s official policy.Advertisement:— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) April 23, 2023
Quote: "Unacceptable remarks of the Chinese Ambassador to France questioning the sovereignty of the countries which became independent with the end of the Soviet Union in 1991.
The EU can only suppose these declarations do not represent China’s official policy."
Background:
- Lu Shaye, China’s ambassador to France, said in an interview that former Soviet republics lacked effective status in international law, arguing specifically that there is "no international agreement to give substance to their status". When asked whether he thought Crimea was Ukrainian, he said that depended on "how you see the problem", adding that it was "not that simple".
- Ukraine’s ambassador to France, Vadym Omelchenko, has responded to the statements that China’s ambassador to France has made about Crimea and the status of Ukraine in international law.
- The Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will summon the Chinese ambassador to Estonia to seek clarification regarding the comments made by the Chinese diplomat in France.
- Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabrielius Landsbergis, said that it is because of statements like the one made by the Chinese ambassador to France that the Baltic states do not trust China as a "mediator" in the settlement of the war in Ukraine.
- France has expressed its concern about the Chinese ambassador’s remarks.
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