NSW Parliament Delegation Visited Tsitsernakaberd

NSW PARLIAMENT DELEGATION VISITED TSITSERNAKABERD

12:58, 16 July, 2013

YEREVAN, JULY 16, ARMENPRESS: The seven-member delegation of the
Australia’s New South Wales Parliament visited the Armenian Genocide
Memorial in Yerevan. As reported by Armenpress, 15 years after the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide, seven parliamentarians of the
Upper and Lower Houses of the New South Wales visited Tsitsernakaberd
to commemorate the innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide. Then
the Australian parliamentarians visited the Armenian Genocide Museum
Institute and made a note in the register of the honorary guests.

The visit has been initiated by the Armenian National Committee of
Australia. “The key aim of the visit is to provide the parliament
members, having quite a considerable contribution to the Armenian
issue, with the opportunity to see Armenia, get acquainted with the
centuries-old Armenian culture and history and upon their return to
continue their pro-Armenian activities in Australia”, – stated earlier
the ANC Australia Executive Director Vache Kahramanian to Armenpress.

The delegation of the Australian parliamentarians, who arrived in
Armenia on July 12, held high-level meetings with the President of
the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, the President of the National
Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan, the Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, as
well as His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos
of All Armenians. Issues related to the further strengthening of
the Armenian-Australian cooperation were discussed. Earlier the ANC
Australia Executive Director Vache Kahramanian expressed his hope
that the meetings will give a new impetus to the Armenian-Australian
political, economic and cultural relations.

In May 2013 during the interview given to the SBS Radio Station
broadcast in Australia, the Member of the New South Wales Legislative
Council, Rev. Fred Nile touched upon the forthcoming visit to Armenia
and stated that “he is very excited and hopes for warm reception”.

The largest state of Australia – New South Wales – on April 17
1997 adopted a motion condemning the massacres taking place in the
Ottoman Empire, characterizing them as the first Genocide of the 20th
century. On May 1 and June 8 2013 the Parliament adopted the motions
on recognizing the genocides of the Assyrians and Greeks and the
motion on re-establishing of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

On October 25th, 2012 the Legislative Council of New South Wales
adopted a unanimous motion recognizing the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
and calling on the right to self-determination of its people.

This historic motion was the first in Australia and the third
internationally.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress