CANBERRA: Representatives of the peak-public affairs body of the Armenian-Australian community, the
Armenian National Committee of Australia have met with the Ambassadors representing France, the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran and representatives from the United States of America in Australia at their respective Canberra quarters last week.
In light of the over 50-day blockade of Artsakh, the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) met with a delegation led by Executive Director Michael Kolokossian to discuss the Armenian-Australian community’s concerns over the developing humanitarian crisis, which has left 120,000 indigenous Armenians without access to food, medicines and the outside world.
During the visit, His Excellency Mr Jean Pierre-Thebault (Ambassador of France to Australia), His Excellency Dr Alexey Pavlovsky (Russia’s Ambassador to Australia), Dr Muhammad Pournajaf (Chargé d'Affaires, Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran), and Bibi Voyce (United States of America Political Council) individually welcomed the ANC-AU delegation to discuss Azerbaijan’s illegal siege.
On 12 December 2022, Azerbaijan launched a new wave of aggression, cutting off the only land link between Artsakh and Armenia in an attempt to subjugate the civilian population to a new form of psychological terror.
For over 50 days, approximately 16,000 tonnes of food, medical and humanitarian supplies have been unable to enter Artsakh, leaving the population on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe.
During the meetings, Kolokossian indicated the Armenian-Australian community's serious concerns regarding the blockade by the Azerbaijani dictatorship. Updates were provided by the representatives of each country regarding their respective governments' positions on the ongoing blockade, all of whom reiterated their support for the immediate need for freedom of movement and goods between Armenia and Artsakh.
Kolokossian thanked Ambassador Pierre-Thebault for France’s concern and leadership on this matter, having raised the blockade at the United Nations Security Council and for his statements via social media in support of Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Kolokossian also conveyed the community’s appreciation to the Iranian Chargé d'Affaires for his government's decision in 2022 to establish a Consul-General in Kapan - solidifying Tehran's support for the sovereign borders of Armenia following Azerbaijan’s invasion of the sovereign borders of the country.
“We welcome the opportunity to meet again with Mr Jean Pierre-Thebault, Dr Alexey Pavlovsky, Dr Muhammad Pournajaf, and Ms Bibi Voyce. We will continue to press the Australian Government will join the OSCE member nations in publicly voicing their condemnation of this blockade,” said ANC-AU Executive Director Michael Kolokossian.
“We are comforted by the statements and leadership of each of the respective Ambassadors and representatives we met with and their calls for immediate peace and stability in the region,” added Kolokossian.
