French senator, MPs condemn vandalism towards Azerbaijani monument PHOTO

Well-known French public representatives have sharply criticised the unacceptable actions towards Azerbaijan.

French public representatives have sharply criticised the unacceptable actions towards the “Azerbaijan Park” and the monument to outstanding Azerbaijani poetess Khurshidbanu Natavan in France’s Evian-les-Bains city, the Azerbaijani State Committee for Work with the Diaspora told Azertac.

Honorary senator of France Alain Vasselle said that the initiatives of the city administration related to changing the name of the “Azerbaijan Park” and causing damage to the park are absurd. The pro-Armenian forces’ actions are not objective.

Vasselle noted that dissatisfaction with a particular event can be expressed in various ways. However, writers and poets are history. The works by such geniuses as Alexandre Dumas and poetess-princess Khurshidbanu Natavan are part of the general cultural heritage and belong to the culture.

The conditions should have been created for Azerbaijan to restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty through peaceful means, he said, adding that the Armenian and Azerbaijani diplomats should have agreed during the negotiations.

President of the Association of Friends of Azerbaijan in France, former member of the French National Assembly Jerome Lambert also noted that the actions of the mayor's office of Evian city are inappropriate, calling them the result of the powerful Armenian lobby’s activity.

“After Azerbaijan restored sovereignty over the territories occupied by Armenia 30 years ago, the forces opposed to Baku intensified their activity in France. These forces are using the Armenian diaspora in France, dissatisfied with the current situation. This opposition is trying to resort to hysterical behavior, liquidate all symbols and places associated with Azerbaijan. Several representatives of the Armenian diaspora in France are trying to use French politicians to act against Azerbaijan,” the president of the association said, emphasising that the slanderous actions against Azerbaijan, which has restored its rights, cannot be justified. Pro-Armenian forces operating in France against Azerbaijan are preventing the establishment of peace between Baku and Yerevan.

Honourary member of the French National Assembly and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Jean-Luc Reitzer admitted that he was upset by the vandalism against the monument to Azerbaijani poetess Khurshidbanu Natavan in Evian city.

“I regret about this incident in Evian. Azerbaijan and France have always maintained excellent relations in all spheres, including economic, cultural, as well as in other spheres. However, today many people in France, having no idea about Azerbaijan, its history, having never been to Azerbaijan, oppose it,” he noted.

Jean-Luc Reitzer reminded that Karabakh was captured and ruled by separatists during the first Karabakh war. No country, even Armenia itself, recognised the independence of this territory.

“Azerbaijan was able to restore its territorial integrity during the second Karabakh war. Those who talk about Armenian refugees have forgotten that after the first Karabakh war, hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis were forced to leave their houses and their lands in Karabakh and were expelled. I was in these refugee camps in Baku. I am extremely upset by France’s unfair attitude shown today towards Azerbaijan and the position of the Azerbaijani people,” Reitzer added.