China affirms ex-Soviet nations’ sovereignty after uproar

BEIJING (AP) — The Chinese government says it respects the sovereignty of former Soviet Union republics after Beijing’s ambassador to France caused an uproar in Europe by saying they aren’t sovereign nations. The governments of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania rejected Ambassador Lu Shaye’s comment to a French broadcaster. Lu said there was no agreement to “solidify their status as a sovereign country” while answering a question about the status of Crimea, which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014. The foreign ministry said Beijing “respects the sovereign status of the former Soviet countries after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.” A spokesperson gave no indication whether Lu’s comment was considered incorrect.