Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with the Premier of New South Wales during her visit to Armenia
YEREVAN: The Premier of Australia’s largest state of New South Wales, Gladys Berejiklian has met with Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Armen Sarkissian, while in Yerevan on a personal visit with family.
”We are happy and proud of your work in Australia. Today you are one of the most influential Armenian women in the world and it’s a pleasure to have opportunity to meet you,” Pashinyan told Berejiklian, expressing hope that her leadership will result in the further development and advancement of relations between Armenia and Australia.
Berejiklian congratulated Pashinyan on the changes in Armenia since the 2018 popular movement and noted that the Armenian community in Australia attentively follows the developments in the homeland. She emphasized that, in comparison to her past visits to Armenia, she had noticed great enthusiasm and hope toward the future from the public.
Berejikian briefed Pashinyan on developments in New South Wales and spoke about the Armenian community in Australia.
The two exchanged views on developing cooperation between Armenia and Australia, strengthening Armenia-Diaspora relations and the priorities of the Armenian government.
Gladys Berejiklian with President Armen Sarkissian in Yerevan on July 18
Berejiklian also met with President Sarkissian who welcomed her to the homeland, and described her work as critically important to advance the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide and Artsakh’s right to self-determination.
The Parliament of New South Wales adopted a resolution condemning and recognising the Armenian Genocide back in 1997.
Berejiklian explained that, being the granddaughter of an Armenian Genocide survivor and visiting Armenia, she is proud of her Armenian origin and roots. She expressed hope that Armenia will advance until her next visit.
The two exchanged views on further developing cooperation between Armenia and New South Wales and touched upon the Australian-Armenian community and its role in advancing the Armenian Cause.
Berejiklian was re-elected as Premier of New South Wales on March 23 2019 - the election ensuring her place in history as the first female to be popularly elected as Premier of Australia's largest state.
While in Armenia, Berejiklian was also interviewed by ArmenPress.
In the wide-ranging interview, which you can read by clicking here, Berejiklian expresses:
> her positive impressions of Armenia during what is her fourth visit and first since the Velvet Revolution;
> her hope for more official channels of diplomacy to open between Armenia and Australia, something which was among the topics of discussion in her meetings with the country's President and Prime Minister;
> her wish that more Australian political leaders visit Artsakh, something she has done on two prior occasions and promises to do again;
> her expectation that Australia will join her state of NSW in recognising the Armenian Genocide;
> her satisfaction about her current role as Premier of NSW, in response to the interviewer asking whether she seeks higher political office.
