CANBERRA: Visiting former Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia, Dr Arman Tatoyan has conducted high-level meetings with Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs leaders and political representatives over the last three days at Parliament House, reported the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU).
Dr Tatoyan, who is visiting from the Republic of Armenia for the annual ANC-AU Advocacy week, was flanked by members of the ANC-AU National Office and Board to discuss Azerbaijan’s latest attacks against the sovereign borders of the Republic of Armenia and inform legislators of Baku’s war crimes and crimes against humanity against Armenians in the homeland.
The founder of the Centre for Law and Justice met with representatives of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ms Rachel Moseley––Assistant Secretary of the Latin America and Eastern Europe Branch––as well as Katerine Molyneaux––Senior Adviser to the Australian Foreign Affairs Minister, Senator the Hon. Penny Wong.
Dr Tatoyan also met with Senator the Hon. Simon Birmingham––Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Jordan Steele-John––The Australian Greens’ spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Paul Fletcher MP––Member for Bradfield and Deputy Chair of the Australia-Armenia Inter-Parliamentary Union, Ms Kylea Tink MP––Member for North Sydney and Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Amnesty International, Senator Raff Ciccone––Deputy Government Whip in the Senate and Chair of Foreign Affairs, Defence & Trade Legislative Committee, and Mr Peter Khalil––Member for Wills and Chair of Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security in the nation’s capital.
Dr Tatoyan also had the opportunity to meet Mr Jerome Laxale MP––Member for Bennelong and Chair of the Australia-Armenia Inter-Parliamentary Union, Mr Julian Leeser MP––Member for Berowra and Shadow Attorney General, Mr Steve Georganas MP––(Member for Adelaide and Mr Henry Pike MP––Member for Bowman at
the launch of the Australia-Armenia Inter-Parliamentary Union event on Tuesday 29th of November 2022 at the Australian Parliament House’s Queen’s Terrace Cafe.
On the sidelines of Dr Tatoyan’s ANC-AU-led delegation, over 25 young Armenian-Australians were also visiting Australia’s Federal Parliament House advancing the Armenian cause as part of the
ANC-AU Youth Advocates Program, discussing the importance of recognition of the Armenian Genocide, fighting for the Republic of Artsakh’s survival and Armenia’s security.
“We were able to bring Azerbaijan’s invasion into the Republic of Armenia into the epicentre of Australia’s Parliament thanks to the advocacy of Dr Tatoyan, a true champion defending the human rights of our compatriots in the homeland,” said ANC-AU Executive Director, Michael Kolokossian.
“Tatoyan was well received by all federal elected and departmental representatives, who welcomed him to Australia for the first time and thanked him for his insightful report into the latest developments along the Armenia-Azerbaijani border,” added Kolokossian.
On Thursday 1st December 2022, Dr Tatoyan also met with the Armenian-Australian community and presented a report based on his most recent fact-finding mission to Ghegharkunik, Vayots Dzor and Syunik before travelling to Australia.
