CHINA respects the status of former Soviet member states as sovereign nations, its foreign ministry said, distancing itself from comments by its envoy to Paris that triggered an uproar among European capitals. Several European Union foreign ministers had said comments by Ambassador Lu Shaye - in which he questioned the sovereignty of Ukraine and other former Soviet states - were unacceptable and had asked Beijing to clarify its stance. Asked if Lu's comments represented China's official position, foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that Beijing respected the status of the former Soviet member states as sovereign nations following the collapse of the Soviet Union.…