SYDNEY: Jonathan O’Dea the Member for Davidson in the Legislative Assembly, recently hosted a meeting of the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Armenia Group to discuss a series of Armenian-Australian issues ahead of Armenian Genocide Commemorative Week which this year will run from Friday 20th to Tuesday 24th April.

Invited by O’Dea to deliver a presentation about the upcoming Armenian Genocide Commemorative events in Sydney, Armenian National Committee of Australia Executive Director Varant Meguerditchian used the opportunity to discuss recent developments on the issue of Armenian Genocide recognition in France, in the USA and in the Federal Parliament of Australia.

“The reaction by genocide deniers in response to the French bill outlawing denial of the Armenian Genocide and the American Congress resolution calling for the return of Church properties to the Armenian, Greek and Assyrian authorities sadly demonstrates their unpreparedness to come to terms with the historical reality of the Armenian Genocide,” said Meguerditchian.

“In light of this, and in order to prevent this heinous crimes from occurring again, we must speak truthfully about genocide and condemn denial at every opportunity.”  

The meeting commenced with an introduction by O’Dea in his capacity as Chair of the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Armenia Group, and also included a presentation of Co-Deputy Chair of the Group Walt Secord regarding his recent visit to Armenia and the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh.

Upcoming Armenian community events, travel to Armenia, Armenia’s emerging economy and Armenian civil society, were all topics of discussion at the meeting which was attended by NSW Parliamentarians from across the political spectrum.