In order to monitor the Assyrian affairs, and to get acquainted with their needs, Mr. Kevin Rudd, Australia's Foreign Minister, accompanied by Mr. Chris Bowen, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship of Australia, have visited His Eminence Archbishop Mar Melis Zaiya, the Patriarchal Agent of Assyrian Church of the East, and its parishes in Australia, New Zealand and Lebanon.
   Amid the warm hospitality, the guests were received in the hall of Edessa by the priests of the Assyrian Church of the East, the Assyrian school administrators, Fairfield former Governor, Mr. Anwar Khoshaba, in addition to the delegation of the Assyrians International Union in Australia, the Assyrian Australian Assembly, and Mr. Muwaffaq Sawa, editor of Al- Iraqia Newspaper.
   At the beginning of the meeting, His Eminence Archbishop Mar Melis presented a profile of the church, schools and educational centers affiliated to the church, to serve the Assyrian community in Australia. Then he talked about the refugees’ situation in the neighboring countries of Iraq, who have no means to return to their homes, and the circumstances that stand against such a return, whether the security or the economic ones, urging at the same time the federal government to contribute on finding solutions for them, and to renew its neglected aid program for them, but in a different and new forms, for the fact that the problem goes beyond their essential humanitarian needs.
   Then he talked about the reality of the Christians in Iraq, referring to the accord of CSA parties and organizations in a one political assembly representing them, to determine CSA causes, and to highlight their legitimate demands as guaranteed by the Constitution, plus the steps taken so far towards originating a province in the Nineveh Plain, on a geographical, administrative and economic basis, for all the components coexisting in it.
   And then the two ministers listened to the views of the audience and their interventions on the issues raised in the meeting, and responded to the questions directed to them, transparently and openly, then Mr. Rudd talked about his upcoming visit to Iraq in the next months to meet with Iraqi officials, also the Immigration Minister’s visit to Geneva on 14 of December, to attend the ceremony that will be held on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), vowing to raise the issue of the Iraqi Christians’ suffering before the Commission, as being a responsibility of the international community.
   The Minister of Immigration, Mr. Chris Bowen, talked about Australian government policy in hosting the refugees on its territory, referring to the proportion specified by the government for the Iraqi Christian refugees.
   The visiting delegation then moved to the school of St. Hirmiz, and the former Prime Minister was welcomed from its staff and students who showed enthusiasm for the visitors.
   Mr. Chris Bowen was briefed on the production of the federal government’s aid to the school, and the results of his government’s efforts in allocating more than three million dollars to support its educational progress, praising at the same time the efforts of His Eminence Archbishop Mar Melis in the good investment of the amounts allocated for the school, to construct a modern library and a sports hall.
   The visiting delegation then went to the Cathedral of St. Hirmiz, where His Eminence presented to his guests an explanation of some sections of the Church, and a brief history of the Church of the East.
   For his part, the former Prime Minister, expressed his happiness for the opportunity of visiting the church, for he had a previous idea on the bright historical pages of the Church, especially those associated with sending the Evangelists to the ends of the Levant in the eighth and ninth centuries for the purpose of preaching in China and Tibet.
   At the end of the visit, His Eminence Archbishop Mar Melis Zaiya expressed his deep gratitude to Mr. Kevin Rudd and Mr. Chris Bowen for the visit, and wished them success in their work, in the service of Australian society.
 
Central Media Committee of Assyrian Church of the East - Sydney