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Australian politician speaks on Western Armenia visit
May 16, 2013 - 11:08 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council,
Walt Secord, who is also the Deputy Co-Chair of the NSW Parliamentary
Friends of Armenian Group, delivered a powerful speech in Parliament
recounting his recent visit to Western Armenia, armenia.com.au
reports.
Secord made history in 2011 by becoming the first Australian
politician to visit the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh. And in December
2012, Secord returned to Armenia to take part in an expedition to
Western Armenia and visit towns and cities, which were completely
emptied during the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923.
The tour, which commenced in Yerevan, took Secord north through
Gyumri, into the heavily Armenian populated region of Javakhk in
Georgia, and then onto the cities of Kars, Van, Ani, Idgir and
Akhtamar.
Upon his return to Australia, Secord remarked: `My visit to western
Armenia was the most interesting study tour I have undertaken in my
life.'
The seven-day visit, which was organized and partially funded by the
Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia), allowed
Secord to continue his "exploration of the Armenian genocide", and
allowed him to "see modern Turkey within the context of the
interaction between Islam and the West".
The trip put into perspective the extensive destruction of the
Armenian populated regions during the Armenian genocide.
In his speech in Parliament, Secord said: `Of course, official denial
is a vital component of oppression and genocide. This is why I will
never apologise for my inquiry into the Armenian story or my support
for the Armenian community. As I have said in Yerevan, in the
Parliament of New South Wales and on many other occasions, it is
repugnant for Turkey to deny the deaths of the 1.5 million Armenians.'
Executive Director of ANC Australia, Vache Kahramanian thanked Secord
for his continued support to ensure the recognition of the Armenian
genocide and for his continued support of the Armenian-Australian
community.
`We are grateful for Mr. Secord's continued efforts in ensuring the
just recognition of the Armenian Genocide," Kahramanian said.
"This trip allowed for the Honourable Member to experience first hand
the destruction that fell upon the Armenian people nearly a century
ago. Mr. Secord is a dear friend of the Armenian-Australian community
and a true champion of human rights."
Walt Secord will again visit Armenia as part of the New South Wales
Parliamentary Friends of Armenian Group delegation in July this year.
May 16, 2013 - 11:08 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council,
Walt Secord, who is also the Deputy Co-Chair of the NSW Parliamentary
Friends of Armenian Group, delivered a powerful speech in Parliament
recounting his recent visit to Western Armenia, armenia.com.au
reports.
Secord made history in 2011 by becoming the first Australian
politician to visit the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh. And in December
2012, Secord returned to Armenia to take part in an expedition to
Western Armenia and visit towns and cities, which were completely
emptied during the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923.
The tour, which commenced in Yerevan, took Secord north through
Gyumri, into the heavily Armenian populated region of Javakhk in
Georgia, and then onto the cities of Kars, Van, Ani, Idgir and
Akhtamar.
Upon his return to Australia, Secord remarked: `My visit to western
Armenia was the most interesting study tour I have undertaken in my
life.'
The seven-day visit, which was organized and partially funded by the
Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia), allowed
Secord to continue his "exploration of the Armenian genocide", and
allowed him to "see modern Turkey within the context of the
interaction between Islam and the West".
The trip put into perspective the extensive destruction of the
Armenian populated regions during the Armenian genocide.
In his speech in Parliament, Secord said: `Of course, official denial
is a vital component of oppression and genocide. This is why I will
never apologise for my inquiry into the Armenian story or my support
for the Armenian community. As I have said in Yerevan, in the
Parliament of New South Wales and on many other occasions, it is
repugnant for Turkey to deny the deaths of the 1.5 million Armenians.'
Executive Director of ANC Australia, Vache Kahramanian thanked Secord
for his continued support to ensure the recognition of the Armenian
genocide and for his continued support of the Armenian-Australian
community.
`We are grateful for Mr. Secord's continued efforts in ensuring the
just recognition of the Armenian Genocide," Kahramanian said.
"This trip allowed for the Honourable Member to experience first hand
the destruction that fell upon the Armenian people nearly a century
ago. Mr. Secord is a dear friend of the Armenian-Australian community
and a true champion of human rights."
Walt Secord will again visit Armenia as part of the New South Wales
Parliamentary Friends of Armenian Group delegation in July this year.