SYDNEY: Newly elected New South Wales Member for Willoughby, Tim James MP leads a list of 13 new additions to the Australian Friends of Artsakh (FOA) network, which supports the right to self-determination of the indigenous Armenians of the Republic of Artsakh, reported the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU).
The ANC-AU launched the network with 40 prominent Australians in August 2019 under the #MOVINGMOUNTAINS catchphrase during a visit by a delegation from the Republic of Artsakh, led by the then Foreign Minister Masis Mayilian and Davit Ishkhanyan MP, who were in Sydney at the invitation of Artsakh’s Permanent Representative to Australia, Kaylar Michaelian.
The network now consists of 86 members following the addition of James and 12 local councillors, which follow previous expansions in 2020 and 2021.
The new additions join a strong contingent of federal and state parliamentarians from across the country, local government councillors, prominent media personalities, historians, academics, as well as religious and community leaders.
Tim James joins the network actioning his pre-election pledge to the ANC-AU, following in the footsteps of former Premier and predecessor of the seat of Willoughby, Gladys Berejiklian––herself a signatory of the Australian Friends of Artsakh network.
The latest additions to the group also includes City of Willoughby Councillors, newly elected Armenian-Australian Sarkis Mouradian, Councillors Craig Campbell, Nic Wright, Jam Xia and Anna Greco; Northern Beaches Councillors, Michael Gencher, Stuart Sprott, Kristyn Glanville and Joe Menano-Pires; City of Fairfield Councillors Carmen Lazar and George Barcha; and Cumberland City Councillor Joe Rahme.
The addition of these Councillors follows meetings the ANC-AU held prior to the 2021 Local Government Elections in NSW across nine different Armenian populated municipalities and presented the Australian Friends of Artsakh network membership opportunity and its significance to members of the Armenian-Australian community.
Signatories to the Australian Friends of Artsakh network lend their names in support for human rights and the principle of self-determination for the indigenous Armenian population of the Republic of Artsakh––currently under military occupation by the Azerbaijani dictator Ilham Aliyev.
ANC-AU Political Affairs Director Michael Kolokossian welcomed the new additions to the group and thanked them for standing with the inhabitants of the currently occupied Republic of Artsakh.
“During my visit to the Republic of Artsakh, as part of the ANC Global Conference, the locals expressed their sincere gratitude and heartfelt appreciation to those who had already joined the network,” said Kolokossian.
“I am certain that today’s announcement will boost the morale of the people of occupied Artsakh, knowing that principled people even as far as Australia remain committed to their right to self-determination,” he added.
ANC-AU Executive Director Haig Kayserian said the ANC-AU remains committed to the Republic of Artsakh and further expanding this network.
“We thank the growing number of prominent Australians standing true to our nation’s values and upholding the rights to self-determination for the indigenous inhabitants of Artsakh, who wake every day to new threats by unchecked and unhinged Azerbaijani Dictator, Ilham Aliyev,” said Kayserian.
“The Armenian National Committee of Australia, the Armenian-Australian community and 86 of the most recognisable names in this country stand with the people and rights of Artsakh.”
