State Minister of Artsakh visits New South Wales Parliament in Australia

YEREVAN, MARCH 15, ARMENPRESS. State Minister of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan, who is currently in Australia, visited the ParliamentofNew South Wales.

The delegation of Mr. Harutyunyan had meeting with the Armenia-Australia parliamentary friendship group, the Armenian National Committee of Australia reported.

The Republic of Artsakh's Representative to Australia, Kaylar Michaelian was also in attendance, and the meeting was chaired by Mr.Jonathan O'DeaMP - the Chair of the NSW Armenia-Australia Friendship Group.

Mr. Harutyunyan thanked the Parliament of NSW for standing with the Armenians of the Republic of Artsakh by recognising their Independence and rights to self-determination. He also personally thanked Mr. O'Dea, Dr.Hugh McDermott MP: State Member for Prospectand Mr.Damien TudehopeMP for their speeches in Parliament earlier this month, commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Sumgait Massacres.

Mr. Harutyunyan also visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial Khatchkar within the Peace Garden of Parliament House, and paid his respects to the 1.5 million victims of the first genocide of the 20th century, which was recognised by the NSW Parliament in 1997, and reaffirmed in 2013.

NSW has recognized the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and the self-determination right of the people of Artsakh in 2012.

English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan