The recent annulment of the declarations of cooperation between Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic) and certain French cities was discussed during the June 17 session of the Artsakh-France Friendship Circle moderated by Speaker of the National Assembly of Artsakh, President of the Artsakh-France Friendship Circle Ashot Ghulyan.

During the subsequent session, the participants discussed issues on the Friendship Circle’s action plans and future actions, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh Masis Mayilyan, who was invited to the session, presented the activities that are being carried out following the recent annulment of declarations of cooperation between Artsakh and certain French cities.

At the end of the session, the Artsakh-France Friendship Circle issued a declaration that particularly reads as follows:

“Expressing pity for the annulment of the Declarations of Friendship between the French cities of Valence, Bourges-les-Valence, Bourges-des-Peage and Arneuville and the communities of the Republic of Artsakh by the administrative courts of France,

Welcoming the statements by the mayors of those cities to continue and enhance the friendly relations, as well as the call of the members of the Artsakh-France Friendship Circle addressed to the French government to not give in to the repressions of Azerbaijan and maintain impartiality,

The Artsakh-France Friendship Circle:

Highly appreciates the cooperation with the friendly people of France at different levels as a major resource for promoting interactions between the two peoples in the humanitarian, education, cultural, athletic and economic sectors;

Believes that the decentralized cooperation between the settlements of Artsakh and France best reflects the commitment of the nations to build relations on the basis of equality and friendly and neighborly relations, as well as the freedom and sovereignty of local self-government bodies;

Reaffirms its determination to promote the enhancement of comprehensive partnership between the peoples of Artsakh and France;

Calls on the Armenian community of France and the colleagues in France to actively continue their efforts to strengthen and expand the real cooperation that has been established”.