YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan held a meeting with Toronto City Council member Jim Karygiannis on February 23, press service of the Ministry told “Armenpress”.

Jim Karygiannis was presented by Canada Government as an international observer in the Constitutional referendum in Nagorno Karabakh on February 20, 2017.

Welcoming the guest, Minister Hakobyan highly appreciated the active stance of the Canadian political figure on protection of interests of ethnic minorities, as well as recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, and attached importance to the works carried out in recent years. “I am happy to welcome you, I am aware of your pro-Armenian activity”, Hranush Hakobyan said.

Jim Karygiannis thanked for the warm reception and stated that he visits Armenia with love and inspiration. “This is my second visit to Armenia, recently I visited Karabakh and I am very impressed with that small country and its heroic people. I really understand and appreciate you, I am aware of the history of your people. I have been in Van, Sasun, Diyarbakir, had many meetings with Armenians”, he said.

In 2014 Jim Karygiannis was awarded with Medal of “Mkhitar Gosh” in Armenia for the input on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, as well as with “Gold” Medal in Karabakh.