CANBERRA: Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister, Liberal Senator
Simon Birmingham has penned a letter to Australia's Foreign Minister,
Penny Wong for the first time on an issue of concern to Armenian-Australians, reported the
Armenian National Committee of Australia.
The letter addressed to Minister Wong was sent on 28 June 2023, one day prior to the 200th day of Azerbaijan's siege on Artsakh, and expressed serious concern over the “ongoing threat to civilians in Nagorno Karabakh”.
In his letter, Senator Birmingham raised Australia’s questionable silence on the issue requesting a response as to why Australia has not yet joined its fellow democratic allies in releasing a statement calling on Azerbaijan to open the "road of life" for the people of Artsakh.
This is now the second occasion Senator Birmingham has probed the Government to take action on the Artsakh Blockade and publicly declare Canberra's protest in a statement, the first being earlier in May this year during Senate Estimates hearings.
The letter read: “I write to seek your advice on the information you have received regarding the blockade and checkpoint, and the basis for the Australian Government’s decision to not join partners in making a public statement calling for the blockade to be lifted.”
The Senator for South Australia and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, wrote to the ANC-AU referencing his "letter to the Foreign Minister seeking a strong
Australian statement in support of opening Lachin Corridor”.
In his letter to the ANC-AU, Senator Birmingham also spoke to the ICJ’s provisional measure ordering Azerbaijan to "protect prisoners of war, prevent racial hatred and discrimination against
Armenians, and prevent and punish acts of vandalism and desecration affecting Armenian cultural heritage".
In response to the Orders by the ICJ, Birmingham said “This measure is strongly supported by the Coalition, which continues to support a halt to actions that escalate conflict in the region, and to support genuine engagement in the current peace negotiations.”
Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) Executive Director Michael Kolokossian wrote to Senator Birmingham thanking him for this principled position and standing with a grassroots community.
Kolokossian said, “This is the first time an Australian Foreign Affairs spokesperson from one of the major two parties has directly written to their counterpart expressing serious concern over the developing situation in Artsakh and is accepted with gratitude by each member of our community, who continue to raise this matter with their elected representatives.”
Kolokossian said, “News of this letter will give many in the wider Armenian-Australian community hope. Hope that Australia can stand with its allies and raise its voice on human rights violations, no matter where they may be prosecuted or by who.”
Read full letter below:
