Despite visit by French MPs, French Foreign Ministry reaffirms stance that Crimea is Ukrainian territory
A comment about the non-recognition of the Crimea’s annexation was published on the website of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 1st as a response to last week’s visit by French deputies to the peninsula.
"Redrawing the borders is contrary to international law. Therefore, the international community, the EU and France do not recognize the illegal annexation of the Crimea. This clear position can in no way be called into question neither by travels, nor by the statements which French authorities have nothing to do with," the report says.
The Ministry also pointed to the need for a growing sense of responsibility in areas such as security and stability in Europe.
French deputies arrived at the annexed peninsula on 29 July. The trip was headed by the Co-chairman of the Franco-Russian Dialogue Association, Thierry Mariani, who was elected to the French parliament from the so-called Russian region – Frenchmen living in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported that trips of foreign delegations to the Crimea have no official status. The Ukrainian foreign policy agency issued a statement on July 25th in which it warned foreign citizens and stateless persons against illegally travelling to the Crimea. Earlier, the French Foreign Ministry condemned the visit of parliamentarians to the Crimea.