PRESS RELEASE
Armenian National Committee -UK
Email: sevan.artin@ancuk.org

Date:24/05/07

Robert Avetisyan in London

For the first time the London Armenian Community had the privilege and
pleasure of welcoming Robert Avetisyan, a young diplomat from Karabakh, at
Navasartian Centre in Ealing, London, on 6th of May. He was specially
invited for a lecture dealing with the ethnography of Karabakh (Artsakh)
from ancient settlements to modern times and discussing the way forward
for peace and prosperity of the young Republic.

The lecture was delivered in English, in a hall packed with large number
of community members, university students and local dignitaries, which
included a representative from the Armenian Embassy and an honourable
member of the British Parliament Mr Stephan Pound, MP for Ealing North.
The meeting was chaired by Sevan Artin of Armenian National Committee -UK.
After his enlightening lecture, the speaker was met with a barrage of
questions from an enthusiastic audience-eager to know and learn more about
Karabakh.

During his weeklong visit to London, Mr Avetisyan took the opportunity to
pay a courtesy visit to a long to friend of Karabakh and Armenia -Baroness
Cox at the House of Lords of the British Parliament. He also met Mr
Stephan Pound MP at the House of Commons. The Ealing MP expressed interest
in Karabakh issues and indicated his willingness to maintaining contact
with Karabakh Republic (NKR) where Mr Avetisyan holds the position of
First Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Mr. Avetisyan was also invited to meet the Ambassador of the Republic
of Armenia, H.E. Dr. V. Gabrielyan.

In between visiting many interesting tourist sights of our great city,
London, Mr. Avetisyan also had a number of social visits which included a
visit to Homenetmen Armenian Scouting Association of London, where he met
the scouts’ leaders and addressed the young scouts with a few encouraging
words; expressing his appreciation and admiration of their scouting
activities and their importance for the community here and the homeland.

Mr Avetisyan conducted an open round table with a selection of the
Armenian youth of the UK. The round table was a chance for the youth to
ask whatever questions they had left and to raise any issues related to
Karabakh that they felt were important.

Before his departure from London Mr Avetisyan was interviewed by the BBC
World Service about the Karabakh situation, the interview was broadcast to
the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia.
He was also invited for a meeting with Directors of Conciliation
Resources- Caucasus Programme- for exchange of views. (C-R) is an UK
based independent NGO working to prevent conflicts and promote justice.

Mr. Avetisyan’s visit to London helped to increase awareness among the
British Armenian community about the reality of Karabakh and how to built
bridges between the two communities and the British public in general.

The above visit was sponsored by Hamazkayin Cultural Society and the
events were organised by ANC-UK.