China respects the status of former Soviet member states as sovereign nations, its foreign ministry said on Monday, after comments by its envoy to Paris triggered an uproar among European capitals.
Several EU foreign ministers had said earlier that comments by ambassador Lu Shaye - in which he appeared to question the sovereignty of Ukraine and other former Soviet states - were unacceptable and had asked Beijing to clarify its stance.
Asked about his position on whether Crimea was part of Ukraine or not, Lu said in an interview aired on French TV 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.
Lu has earned himself a reputation as one of China's "wolf warrior" diplomats, so called for their hawkish and abrasive style.
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