SYDNEY: The City of Ryde in Sydney Australia has recognised the Republic of Artsakh and the right to self-determination of its citizens at a Council Meeting on Tuesday 22nd May 2018, reported the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU).
The motion, which was moved by Armenian-Australian Councillor Sarkis Yedelian and seconded by Mayor Jerome Laxale, passed unanimously, making the City of Ryde the first local government in Australia to recognise the Republic of Artsakh in Australia, and the second legislative body in the country to do so after the NSW Parliament recognised it in 2012.
The motion, which recognised the country's independence and encourages Artsakh's involvement in the international community, also "calls on the Commonwealth Government to officially recognise the independence of the Republic of Artsakh and strengthen Australia's relationship with the Republic of Artsakh and its citizens".
The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) – who worked on this motion along with the Office of the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Artsakh in Australia – applauded this decision.
"The City of Ryde is the most Armenian-populated municipality in Australia, therefore it is only fitting that its Council becomes the first local government to recognise that Artsakh is Armenian, as it was when the ancestors of many thousands of Ryde residents lived in Armenia before the Armenian Genocide," ANC-AU Executive Director, Haig Kayserian commented.
"We thank Councillor Yedelian for moving the motion, and we pay special thanks to Mayor Laxale, who met with our delegation in March and quickly understood that this was an issues of great importance to his Armenian constituency."
Mayor Laxale and Councillor Yedelian met with an ANC-AU delegation including the visiting State Minister of the Republic of Artsakh, Arayik Harutyunyan in March this year.
Kaylar Michaelian, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Artsakh in Australia, added: "A bi-partisan motion from an Australian Council that represents over 164,000 Australians is being applauded today by the 150,000 brave, peace-loving Armenians defending the Republic of Artsakh."
"On behalf of the people and government of the Republic of Artsakh, I thank the City of Ryde Council for bringing our country closer to the recognition that will bring peace to the region of Nagorno Karabakh," Michaelian added.
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THE FULL MOTION - REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH MOTION - CITY OF RYDE1. That Ryde City Council notes that 2018 marks the thirtieth anniversary of the start of the Artsakh Liberation movement, which led to the 1991 declaration of independence of the Republic of Artsakh (previously Nagorno Karabakh).2. That Ryde City Council:(a) acknowledges the importance of the basic human right to self determination and a free and a democratic society, (b) recognises the right to self-determination of all peoples including those of the Republic of Artsakh,(c) notes the Republic of Artsakh's sustained efforts towards creating a free and democratic society through the use of legitimate parliamentary elections and its continued efforts to develop a responsible government, (d) supports and encourages the Republic of Artsakh's involvement within the international community and further encourages its engagement with the international community to reach a solution to the existing regional problems to establish peace and stability, (e) encourages peaceful relations and the continued promotion of humanitarian and economic support for the people of the Republic of Artsakh; and (f) calls on the Commonwealth Government to officially recognise the independence of the Republic of Artsakh and strengthen Australia's relationship with the Republic of Artsakh and its citizens.
