Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to give a report back on my recent visit to Armenia as a guest of the Armenian National Committee of Australia. Along with the members for North Sydney and Bennelong, I visited Yerevan over a number of days to experience everything at Yerevan—Armenian heritage, culture and history, and particularly a taste of their politics and the potential and strength of the bonds between the two countries. Despite many periods of occupation and oppression, the Armenian people have existed and thrived for thousands of years. While visiting, the delegation had the opportunity to embrace Armenia's independence day, a celebration to mark the end of Soviet rule as the people of Armenia voted in a referendum to proclaim their independence. It was wonderful to toast the occasion with the Armenian President himself, Mr Armen Sarkissian, and the Prime Minister, Mr Nikol Pashinyan.

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