CANBERRA: Support for Australia to add its voice to calls for an end to Azerbaijan’s over 250-day blockade of Artsakh continues to grow, as over 25 Australian Federal and State Parliamentarians co-sponsor the Armenian National Committee of Australia’s Artsakh Blockade statement.
The recent signatories include an additional 4 Federal Parliamentarians, as well as State Parliamentarians from the Australian Capital Territory, South Australian, New South Wales and Tasmanian parliaments.
The statement, co-sponsored by Australian Parliamentarians from all three major parties represented across the country, highlights support for the provisional measures indicated by the International Court of Justice and calls on “Australia to unequivocally convey such sentiments with respect to the blockade through all bilateral and multilateral international channels until the illegal blockade is lifted.”
The statement, in full, reads:
"I stand in solidarity with Armenian-Australians and the international community, affirming the statement made by the International Association of Genocide Scholars declaring that a continuation of Azerbaijan’s illegal blockade of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) puts the Armenian people of Artsakh at risk of genocide.
I support the ruling of the International Court of Justice, which demands that the Azerbaijani Government take all measures at its disposal to ensure the unimpeded movement of people, vehicles and supplies between Armenia and Artsakh through the Lachin corridor. I call on Australia unequivocally to convey such sentiments with respect to the blockade through all bilateral and multilateral international channels until the illegal blockade is lifted."
The signatories include:
Jerome Laxale - Federal Member for Bennelong;
Paul Fletcher - Federal Member for Bradfield;
Senator Jordon Steele-John - Senator for Western Australia;
Henry Pike - Federal Member for Bowman;
Michael Sukkar - Federal Member for Deakin; Elizabeth Watson Brown - Federal Member for Ryan;
Bob Katter - Federal Member for Kennedy;
Mark Coure MP - NSW Member for Oatley;
Hugh McDermott - NSW Member for Prospect;
Tim James - NSW Member for Willoughby; Jacqui Munro - NSW Member of the Legislative Council;
Tanya Davies - NSW Member for Badgerys Creek;
Kobi Shetty - NSW Member for Balmain and;
Irene Pnevmatikos - SA Member of the Legislative Council; Lidia Thorpe - Senator for Victoria; Sophie Scamps - Federal Member for Mackellar; Janet Rice - Senator for Victoria; Kylea Tink - Federal Member for North Sydney; Stephen Lawrence - NSW Member of the Legislative Council; Emily Suvaal - NSW Member of the Legislative Council; Jordan Lane - NSW Member for Ryde; Damien Tudehope - NSW Member of the Legislative Council; Tammy Franks - SA Member of the Legislative Council; Peter Cain - ACT Member for Ginninderra; Rosalie Woodruff- Tasmania Member for Franklin; Lara Alexander - Tasmanian Member for Franklin.
Armenian National Committee of Australia Executive Director Michael Kolokossian said, “As a result of our community’s engagement on this issue and advocacy with their local Members of Parliament, we are seeing a growing cohort of Australian parliamentarians co-sponsor the Artsakh Statement.”
“The reality is Australia is a longstanding champion and defender of human rights and international law, and she must never be silent. Instead, Australia’s courage and generosity to stand up for all victims should be implemented. We are hopeful the Foreign Affairs Minister will acknowledge this non-partisan support and address this issue with a shift in Australia’s position and public statements calling for the ICJ orders to be respected.” added Kolokossian.
The Armenian National Committee of Australia also initiated an appeal calling on Australian civil society groups to write directly to the Foreign Affairs Minister, calling for Australia to end the blockade.
