Reactions grow to Chinese ambassador’s statement on ‘former Soviet countries’

The European Union (EU) considered the Chinese ambassador’s comment on the status of ex-Soviet countries “unacceptable.”

The EU High Representative for Foreign Relations and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, affirmed that the statements of the Chinese ambassador in Paris, Lu Shay, on the sovereignty of the ex-Soviet countries are unacceptable. Borrell asserted that the sovereignty of the former Soviet countries, which gained independence in 1991, cannot be questioned, saying: “The EU assumes that these statements do not represent China’s official policy.”

In an interview with French television TF1, the Chinese ambassador said: “Even the former Soviet republics have no status in international law. They do not have an effective status in international law because their status as a sovereign country was not embodied in an international agreement.

JOINT DECLARATION OF FRENCH LAWYERS

According to the daily Le Monde, the French Foreign Ministry also reacted to Lu’s statements. A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry recalled that the annexation of Crimea constitutes an illegality in terms of international law, and said that Beijing must clarify whether the ambassador’s words reflect China’s position.

Meanwhile, 80 French parliamentarians issued a joint statement reacting through the daily Le Monde. In the statement, it was claimed that Lu’s remarks clearly violated international law and should be regarded as a threat to France’s allied European countries.

In the statement, which called on French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna to declare the Chinese ambassador “persona non grata,” it was noted that a strong reaction should come from Europe, where the situation has turned fragile with Ukraine. . -Russian war.

On the other hand, the country’s press wrote that the Chinese Ambassador could be summoned to the French Foreign Ministry due to his statements. (AA)