On August 12-13 Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian paid an official visit to Australia.

On August 13, the talks between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Australia Edward Nalbandian and Bob Carr took place in Canberra.

Welcoming his Armenian counterpart, the Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs said that the visit provides a good opportunity to give a new content to the bilateral relations and he is committed to take efficient steps towards that direction. "There is particular warmth between our two countries, which has been developed due to the efforts of the Armenians settled in Australia and brought their significant contribution to the development of our country. We are looking forward to intensify the further deepening of our relations," stressed the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia.

Expressing gratitude for the invitation to visit Australia and for the warm reception, and pointing out that there were around dozen meetings between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Australia in the recent years, Edward Nalbandian noted that the political dialogue between the two countries is at a high level and that his visit’s main goal is to reach efficient agreements over the expansion of cooperation in various spheres.

In the context of the development of bilateral relations, the sides stressed the importance to create legal framework, to hold consultations between the MFAs, to intensify the cooperation in the frames of the international organizations, to develop economic relations and to activate cultural exchanges.

In the course of the discussions over international agenda issues, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Australia confirmed that the two countries’ visions over many issues are similar or very close to each other. Ministers Nalbandian and Carr exchanged views on the participation of Armenia and Australia in peacekeeping operations in crises points.

Minister Carr presented the developments in the Asia-Pacific region and Australia’s role in those processes.

Upon the request of the Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edward Nalbandian presented the negotiations over the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

Minister Nalbandian expressed gratitude to Bob Carr for his activities aimed at the recognition of the Armenian Genocide when he was Premier of New South Wales.

After the meeting, the Ministers signed the first bilateral agreement between Armenia and Australia- Memorandum on Consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia.

Accepting Edward Nalbandian’s invitation to pay a response visit to Yerevan, Bob Carr expressed his intention to visit Armenia in the first half of the following year.

The negotiations were continued in the presence of the members of the Australian Parliament and the representatives of the Armenian community in Australia during the official dinner provided by the Australian Foreign Minister in honor of the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

On the same day Edward Nalbandian met with Peter Slipper, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia.

The interlocutors exchanged views on the promotion of inter-parliamentary cooperation format. In this context, Edward Nalbandian noted that Armenia attaches great importance to the inter-parliamentary interaction as an important format for the development of relations between countries and welcomed Australia's commitment to intensify cooperation in that sphere.

The Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs presented the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia the main directions of Armenia's foreign policy and the steps undertaken towards the solution of regional issues.

Edward Nalbandian had a meeting with the members of the Armenia –Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group, as well. Chairman of the Group Geoff Lyons and Vice-Chairman Joe Hockey presented their activities aimed at the development of bilateral relations of the two countries, and the works of the Group towards the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

Minister Nalbandian expressed gratitude to the Australian MPs for their activities supporting Armenia and briefed on Armenia’s policy in the Caucasus region.

In Canberra Minister Edward Nalbandian was also hosted by the Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA), where in front of Australian leading politicians and analysts delivered a speech on Armenia's foreign policy. The speech was followed by numerous questions and answers on the developments in the Caucasus region, Middle East and international agenda.

On August 12, in Sydney, Edward Nalbandian visited the Armenian Apostolic Church of Holy Resurrection of Sydney and attended the liturgy of Holy Virgin Mary Day of transformation.

In the evening of August 12, the Armenian Foreign Minister held a meeting with around 400 representatives of the Armenian community in Australia during which he presented the main directions of Armenia’s foreign policy and answered numerous questions of the attendees.