Helsinki: Three Baltic states have strongly condemned comments by China’s envoy to France, who appeared to suggest in a recent French television interview that the former Soviet republics are not sovereign nations.
In separate announcements late on Saturday, the foreign ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania regarded Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Xie’s statements as unacceptable.
In a recent interview with French news channel LCI, he was asked whether he thinks the Crimean peninsula belongs to Ukraine. occupied russia Crimea From ukraine In 2014, a move that was deemed illegal by most of the world.
“It depends on how one looks at the problem,” the ambassador told the broadcaster. “There is history. Crimea was Russian in the beginning, no? It was (Soviet leader Nikita) Khrushchev who gave Crimea to Ukraine in the Soviet Union era.”
When the channel’s presenter noted that according to international law, Crimea is part of Ukraine, the Chinese ambassador drew a parallel to the former Soviet republics – including the three Baltic nations – that broke free after the collapse of the USSR in 1991 .
“With regard to international law, even these ex-Soviet Union countries do not have, they do not have the status – how to say it? – that is effective in international law, because their status as a There is no international agreement to strengthen sovereign countries,” he said.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis tweeted: “If anyone is still wondering why the Baltic states don’t trust China to ‘broker peace in Ukraine’, here’s a Chinese ambassador arguing that Crimea is Russian and belongs to us.” The borders of countries have no legal basis.”
His Estonian counterpart, Margus Tshakna, said the Chinese ambassador’s comments were “false and misinterpretation of history”, while Latvian Foreign Minister Edgar Rinkevičs said the statements were “completely unacceptable”.
Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius The three Baltic countries said each would summon China’s ambassador or representative for an explanation of the envoy’s comments. EU and NATO members Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania gained their independence in 1991 amid the collapse of the Soviet Union after nearly five decades of Moscow rule.
In a separate statement, the French Foreign Ministry expressed concern about the ambassador’s comments about former Soviet states and said: “It is for China to say whether these comments reflect its position, which we hope is the case.” Not there.”
The French ministry said these countries gained independence “after decades of oppression” and that, in the specific case of Ukraine, “the entirety of the international community, including China,” recognized its borders, including Crimea, when it declared independence in 1991. Did.
President Vladimir Putin Russia, an ally of China, has said several times that it does not recognize Ukraine’s sovereignty. The Kremlin has also made it clear that it regards the independence of the Baltic states and their active role in NATO and the European Union as a threat to Russia’s security.
In separate announcements late on Saturday, the foreign ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania regarded Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Xie’s statements as unacceptable.
In a recent interview with French news channel LCI, he was asked whether he thinks the Crimean peninsula belongs to Ukraine. occupied russia Crimea From ukraine In 2014, a move that was deemed illegal by most of the world.
“It depends on how one looks at the problem,” the ambassador told the broadcaster. “There is history. Crimea was Russian in the beginning, no? It was (Soviet leader Nikita) Khrushchev who gave Crimea to Ukraine in the Soviet Union era.”
When the channel’s presenter noted that according to international law, Crimea is part of Ukraine, the Chinese ambassador drew a parallel to the former Soviet republics – including the three Baltic nations – that broke free after the collapse of the USSR in 1991 .
“With regard to international law, even these ex-Soviet Union countries do not have, they do not have the status – how to say it? – that is effective in international law, because their status as a There is no international agreement to strengthen sovereign countries,” he said.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis tweeted: “If anyone is still wondering why the Baltic states don’t trust China to ‘broker peace in Ukraine’, here’s a Chinese ambassador arguing that Crimea is Russian and belongs to us.” The borders of countries have no legal basis.”
His Estonian counterpart, Margus Tshakna, said the Chinese ambassador’s comments were “false and misinterpretation of history”, while Latvian Foreign Minister Edgar Rinkevičs said the statements were “completely unacceptable”.
Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius The three Baltic countries said each would summon China’s ambassador or representative for an explanation of the envoy’s comments. EU and NATO members Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania gained their independence in 1991 amid the collapse of the Soviet Union after nearly five decades of Moscow rule.
In a separate statement, the French Foreign Ministry expressed concern about the ambassador’s comments about former Soviet states and said: “It is for China to say whether these comments reflect its position, which we hope is the case.” Not there.”
The French ministry said these countries gained independence “after decades of oppression” and that, in the specific case of Ukraine, “the entirety of the international community, including China,” recognized its borders, including Crimea, when it declared independence in 1991. Did.
President Vladimir Putin Russia, an ally of China, has said several times that it does not recognize Ukraine’s sovereignty. The Kremlin has also made it clear that it regards the independence of the Baltic states and their active role in NATO and the European Union as a threat to Russia’s security.