BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 28. The council, which is a permanent advisory body to the head of the executive power of Azerbaijan's Ismayilli district, issued a statement on the termination of the Charter of Friendship and Cooperation signed between Ismayilli city and the French town of Evian-les-Bains (Evian), Trend reports.
"In May 2015, the Charter of Friendship and Cooperation was signed between the city of Ismayilli in the Republic of Azerbaijan and the city of Evian-les-Bains in France. The aim of signing the charter at that time was to develop friendly relations between the two cities and contribute to bilateral relations in the fields of culture, tourism, and the economy. Practical steps were even taken in this direction, including reciprocal visits between the parties," the statement said.
"As a part of the collaboration in 2017, a ceremony was held in Evian town for the opening of the Azerbaijani Park and the Friendship Spring, as well as a monument to the prominent Azerbaijani poetess Khurshidbanu Natavan. Simultaneously, a memorial plaque titled 'Azerbaijan-France Friendship Park' was installed in the central park of Ismayilli city," the statement reminded.
"The fact that Ismayilli is one of the oldest settlements, attracting numerous foreign tourists, and the inclusion of Lahij copper art in the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage created an additional incentive for cooperation between the cities," the statement noted.
"Despite the concept of sister cities serving the development of relations between peoples in the cultural sphere and building bridges between people of different nationalities, including beyond politics, unfortunately, the French side politicized this issue as a sign of support for Armenia, discontinuing intercity contacts after the second Karabakh war," the statement further said.
"A meeting of the Evian municipal council, held on December 18, 2023, made unfounded accusations against our country and expressed support for Armenia. The town's mayor also announced the removal of all signs indicating Azerbaijani Park," the statement pointed out. "Members of the permanent council under the head of the Ismayilli district's executive power categorically reject the biased and subjective opinions expressed against our country at the mentioned meeting of the municipal council of Evian town and condemn the decision regarding the Azerbaijani Park."
"In protest against France's anti-Azerbaijani policy on all platforms and the decision of the municipal council of Evian town to remove the signs of the Azerbaijani Park, the Charter of Friendship and Cooperation signed between Ismayilli city and Evian-les-Bains town is considered null and void from December 26, 2023," said the statement.
"Besides, the park in the center of Ismayilli city will be named after the renowned Azerbaijani poetess Khurshidbanu Natavan," added the statement.
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