YEREVAN: Walt Secord, the first Australian MP to visit Nagorno Karabakh, returned to Yerevan today to lay a wreath at the Armenian Genocide Monument, reported the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia).
In Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh on a four-day visit to meet the people and leadership of the two republics, Secord visited the ‘Dzidzernagapert’ Armenian Genocide Monument and Museum in Yerevan to commemorate the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide.
Accompanying Secord during his visit to the memorial were; ARF Member of the Armenian National Assembly, Ara Nranyan; ARF International Secretariat, Giro Manoyan; and Curator of the Armenian Genocide Museum, Hayk Demoyan.
Declaring his support for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, Secord said: “I was watching with interest the French Parliament and Israeli Knesset debate measures to oppose the denial of the Armenian Genocide.”
"I supported the French President and the Israeli Knesset Speaker for their principled stance.”
"Denial of the Armenian Genocide is offensive; the Armenian Genocide is an historical fact and any attempts to deny it are immoral."
Motivated to visit the Republics of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh after personally studying the impact of genocide upon the Armenian, Jewish and other peoples, Secord stated: “The ANC Australia was instrumental in encouraging me to visit Armenia and the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and I thank them for being effective advocates for Armenian-related issues in the Diaspora."
ANC Australia Executive Director Varant Meguerditchian thanked Secord for his support.
“By travelling to Armenia to visit the Genocide Monument and Museum, Mr Secord has demonstrated his principled stance on the issue of Armenian Genocide recognition,” he said.
“We trust Mr Secord’s visit to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh will pave the way for his parliamentary colleagues to also visit the two Republics to gain a better understanding of issues of importance to Armenian-Australians."
Below is a Yerkir Media TV interview with Walt Secord:
