On Monday, 3rd June 2024, members from the Australian House of Representatives debated a historic first-ever motion on the Republic of Artsakh, and MPs unanimously spoke during the debate, slamming Azerbaijan’s 24-hour military attack against Artsakh and calling on Azerbaijan to implement several pro-Armenian measures, reported the Armenian National Committee of Australia
The motion championed by Member for Bradfield and Co-Chair of the Australia-Armenia Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Hon. Paul Fletcher, was debated in the Australian Parliament’s Federation Chamber with four speakers, including Labor Member for Bennelong Mr Jerome Laxale MP, Labor Member for Beam Mr David Smith MP, and Independent Member for Mackellar, Dr Sophie Scamps MP who all supported the motion.
All four speakers spoke in favour of the motion during the 20-minute debate, with all speakers unequivocally calling out Azerbaijan’s 24-hour military assault and calling on Azerbaijan to release all Armenian political prisoners, the right of return for refugees to Artsakh under international guarantees, the protection of Armenian cultural heritage and for Azerbaijan to withdraw from the sovereign borders of the Republic of Armenia.