STEPANAKERT: The President of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, Bako Sahakyan welcomed a delegation of politicians from Australia's largest state of New South Wales, who later addressed the Artsakh's Parliament on what was an historical visit organised by the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia).

President Sahakyan thanked New South Wales (NSW), whose Legislative Council on October 25, 2012, adopted a unanimous motion recognising the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh and calling on the right to self-determination of its Armenian people. This historic motion was the first in Australia and the third internationally.

The President said that the motion "was a significant political and moral step on the path to the international recognition of Artsakh and establishment of bilateral relations".

Among the politicians in attendance was Marie Ficarra MLC, who was responsible for introducing the aforementioned motion, and her fellow Members of the NSW Legislative Council, who voted in favour of the motion. They were Amanda Fazio MLC, David Clarke MLC and Fred Nile MLC.

Others in the delegation were Jonathan O'Dea MP, who is the Chair of the NSW Parliament's Friends of Armenia group, and Gladys Berejiklian MP - who is the first Armenian parliamentarian of NSW and the state's current Minister for Transport.

Representing ANC Australia were Honorary Chairman Greg Soghomonian, Executive Director Vache Kahramanian, Board members Stephen Abolakian and Hovig Melkonian, and intern Garineh Torossian. ANC Australia was also joined by several ANC Australia Partners (the organisation's sponsorship program) on this trip. Varoujan Iskenderian, Nagorno Karabakh's representative in Australia, was also present during meetings.

In the delegation's meeting with President Sahakyan, a wide range of issues related to the development of relations between New South Wales and Nagorno Karabakh were also discussed.

Following their meeting with President Sahakyan, the delegation visited the National Assembly of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh and were each given an opportunity to address a special sitting of Parliament.