Ryde-Stepanakert friendship city resolution draws Baku's ire

PanARMENIAN.Net - Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Leyla Abdullayeva has mischaracterised the parties involved in the Friendship City relationship that was established between Australia's City of Ryde Council, with Artsakh's capital Stepanakert, reported the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU).

In the Azerbaijani authoritarian regime’s predictable reaction to the historic agreement, Abdullayeva was quoted in Azerbaijani state controlled media outlets referring to Stepanakert as "Khankendi City", while similarly mixing up the name of Ryde City by referring to it as "Reid City".

"It is no coincidence that the draft of this document, adopted by only two people, was put forward by Sarkis Yedelian, member of Armenian origin of the Reid City Council, and supported by Mayor of Reid city Jerome Laxale," she said.

"As for such documents adopted by local executive or legislative bodies of administrative-territorial units of Australia, as a result of the lobbying efforts of the Armenians, I would like to emphasise that these documents have no legal significance and are just pieces of paper serving the interests of certain circles or lobby groups," she added.

ANC-AU Executive Director, Haig Kayserian commented: "It is appropriate that Ms Abdullayeva feels compelled to respond to this motion, outlining the true significance it has when cities like Ryde recognise the rights of indigenous Armenians to live on their liberated ancestral homeland."

"Of course, Ms Abdullayeva conveniently omitted to note that the historic Resolution was unanimously adopted by the whole Ryde City Council," Kayserian added.

Meanwhile, the Artsakh Foreign Ministry has welcomed the decision by the City of Ryde to officially establish a friendship city with Stepanakert.

"We welcome the unanimous adoption of a resolution to establish ‘friendship’ relations with Artsakh’s capital city of Stepanakert by the Australia’s Ryde City Council. This ensures a legal basis for the establishment of cooperation between the two cities in the fields of culture, education, economy and others, as well as implementation of practical programs,” the Artsakh foreign ministry said in a statement.