Talks to decide fate of Aussie lawyer in Mongolia
Mongolian authorities who have prevented an Australian lawyer from leaving the country will hold further talks with her this Saturday.
Sarah Armstrong, 32, works for SouthGobi Resources, a subsidiary of mining giant Rio Tinto.
Ms Armstrong was detained at the airport in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar on Friday.
She has been questioned by anti-corruption officials in relation to activities at a coal mine in the country's south.
The attache of the Mongolian embassy in Canberra, Hantulga Galaazagraa, has told the ABC that Ms Armstrong is a witness in a case alleging unpaid tax by a mining company.
A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs says it is not clear why Ms Armstrong is being questioned and adds she will be accompanied at the talks by consul David Lawson and a lawyer engaged by her employer.
Foreign Minister Bob Carr says extra staff are being sent to Mongolia to help with the case.
"The Consul General, David Lawson, in Ulan Bataar is in touch with her I'm told on a daily basis and we're flying in an additional staffer from Seoul to back up that consular assistance," he said.
"We are providing her with consular support that we provide to any Australian who's facing challenges when they are travelling overseas.
"We are hopeful that in the context of the good diplomatic relations between Australia and Mongolia that it can be satisfactorily resolved."
Senator Carr says he has yet to speak with his counterpart in Mongolia and is waiting on advice from diplomats before doing so.
"The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra has conveyed to the Mongolian ambassador here our concern and our Consul General in Mongolia has spoken to the [Mongolian] foreign ministry," he said.
"I stand ready to make a call when I get advice it would be timely.
"I don't want to set back a case by a premature intervention in this matter."
Ms Armstrong's friends say the strain is starting to show.
Luke Dean says he has been speaking with Ms Armstrong a couple of times a day to keep her spirits up.
"To be honest, I guess [it's] quite a few days in now, so the strain's probably starting to get to her a little bit. But you know, she's holding up strong," he said.
"I try and be a little bit humorous, we've got a pretty good relationship so try and not make it too serious all the time but the situation itself is quite serious, so she's probably a lot [more] sombre than what she's been over the last couple of days."
Sarah Armstrong, 32, works for SouthGobi Resources, a subsidiary of mining giant Rio Tinto.
Ms Armstrong was detained at the airport in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar on Friday.
She has been questioned by anti-corruption officials in relation to activities at a coal mine in the country's south.
The attache of the Mongolian embassy in Canberra, Hantulga Galaazagraa, has told the ABC that Ms Armstrong is a witness in a case alleging unpaid tax by a mining company.
A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs says it is not clear why Ms Armstrong is being questioned and adds she will be accompanied at the talks by consul David Lawson and a lawyer engaged by her employer.
Foreign Minister Bob Carr says extra staff are being sent to Mongolia to help with the case.
"The Consul General, David Lawson, in Ulan Bataar is in touch with her I'm told on a daily basis and we're flying in an additional staffer from Seoul to back up that consular assistance," he said.
"We are providing her with consular support that we provide to any Australian who's facing challenges when they are travelling overseas.
"We are hopeful that in the context of the good diplomatic relations between Australia and Mongolia that it can be satisfactorily resolved."
Senator Carr says he has yet to speak with his counterpart in Mongolia and is waiting on advice from diplomats before doing so.
"The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra has conveyed to the Mongolian ambassador here our concern and our Consul General in Mongolia has spoken to the [Mongolian] foreign ministry," he said.
"I stand ready to make a call when I get advice it would be timely.
"I don't want to set back a case by a premature intervention in this matter."
Ms Armstrong's friends say the strain is starting to show.
Luke Dean says he has been speaking with Ms Armstrong a couple of times a day to keep her spirits up.
"To be honest, I guess [it's] quite a few days in now, so the strain's probably starting to get to her a little bit. But you know, she's holding up strong," he said.
"I try and be a little bit humorous, we've got a pretty good relationship so try and not make it too serious all the time but the situation itself is quite serious, so she's probably a lot [more] sombre than what she's been over the last couple of days."
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