Military Parade on French National Day

France celebrated Wednesday its National Day with British troops leading the massive military parade on Avenue Champs-Elysees.

The arrangement is intended to highlight military cooperation between the two countries since the signing of their friendship agreement, Entente Cordiale, 100 years ago.

A total of 102 of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II's celebrated Grenadier Guards were put at the head of the annual French military parade of about 4,000 troops. Members of British Household Cavalry and the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery marched down the Avenue under the gaze of thousands of spectators.

The Entente cordiale agreement, signed on April 8, 1904, markedan end to centuries of fighting between France and Britain and thebeginning of their World War alliance against Germany.

British Defence Minister Geoff Hoon hailed military cooperationwith France as an element in mutual relations which is "very real and very important and which has brought our countries closer together for 100 years."

French Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said the Entente Cordiale "sealed a common destiny for our two peoples, linked since then by blood spilled, history and common values".

Bastille Day on July 14 is the French National Day marking the anniversary of the French Revolution in 1789, which led to the toppling of the monarchy and the executions of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette.

Source:Xinhua