PRESS RELEASE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia & New Zealand
10 Macquarie Street
Chatswood NSW 2067
AUSTRALIA
Contact: Laura Artinian
Tel: (02) 9419-8056
Fax: (02) 9904-8446
Email: armenian@idx.com.au

31 March 2005

AMBASSADOR DESIGNATE TO RUSSIA VISITS PRIMATE

Sydney, Australia – On Thursday, 31 March, 2005 the Australian
Ambassador-designate to Russia, Mr Bob Tyson paid a courtesy visit to His
Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian, Primate of the Armenian Church of
Australia and New Zealand. Over the coming weeks, Mr Tyson will take his
post in Moscow replacing Ambassador Leslie Rowe who in 2003 accompanied an
Australian Government delegation to Armenia headed by the Attorney General,
The Hon. Phillip Ruddock MP.

During the meeting, the Primate enlightened the Ambassador-designate on
issues pertaining to Armenia, welcoming the close relations being forged
between the governments of Armenia and Australia. Mr Tyson disclosed his
intention to visit Armenia soon after his posting since the Australian
Embassy in Moscow is accredited to Armenia as well as ten other countries of
the region.

The Primate today also welcomed twelve Year 10 students from St Gregory’s
Armenian School to the Diocesan Office. The students recorded on video an
interview with the Archbishop posing a series of thought provoking questions
on Armenian youth, how he envisaged the future of Armenian youth in Sydney
and issues relating to the Armenian Genocide in light of upcoming community
events commemorating the 90th anniversary.