Lawyer Armstrong reunited with family
LAWYER Sarah Armstrong flew home to the Coast last night from Mongolia, which had barred her from leaving for two months.
Ms Armstrong's parents, Les and Yvette, of Rosebery, said that having their daughter home for Christmas, was the best miracle they could have asked for.
The Armstrongs got a phone call from Sarah on Friday to tell them she was no longer a suspect and was heading home.
``It's an absolute miracle and a wonderful Christmas present to have our daughter home,'' mum, Yvonne said yesterday.
On Christmas Eve, a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman confirmed that Ms Armstrong had boarded a flight out of Mongolia.
She landed at Sydney Airport yesterday afternoon and got a connecting flight to Tasmania to be reunited with her parents.
It is understood that Foreign Minister Bob Carr on Friday contacted the Mongolian ambassador to Australia about Ms Armstrong's case.
Senator Carr said in a statement on Monday that Ms Armstrong being allowed to leave was ``great news'' and good timing so she could see her family for Christmas.
Ms Armstrong, the chief legal counsel for Rio Tinto mining subsidiary SouthGobi Resources, had been interviewed by Mongolia's Independent Authority Against Corruption (IAAC).
Mongolian officials said Ms Armstrong was detained over an investigation into the former chief of Mongolia's mining authority, who is suspected of illegally handling mining licences, according to Dow Jones Newswires.
Ms Armstrong, a former Rosebery woman, had been barred from leaving Mongolia since October 19, when she was stopped from boarding her flight at Ulan Bator airport to her base of Hong Kong.
Last week SouthGobi was informed by the IAAC that the 32-year-old was no longer a suspect in their investigation and the information was then released by the coal firm in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange where it is listed.
An attache at the Mongolian Embassy in Canberra, Hantulga Galaazagraa, told the ABC the investigation had been finalised and it was nothing against Ms Armstrong personally.
He said she had been asked not to leave the country because she might have useful information about the investigation for the anti-corruption agency.
Ms Armstrong's parents, Les and Yvette, of Rosebery, said that having their daughter home for Christmas, was the best miracle they could have asked for.
The Armstrongs got a phone call from Sarah on Friday to tell them she was no longer a suspect and was heading home.
``It's an absolute miracle and a wonderful Christmas present to have our daughter home,'' mum, Yvonne said yesterday.
On Christmas Eve, a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman confirmed that Ms Armstrong had boarded a flight out of Mongolia.
She landed at Sydney Airport yesterday afternoon and got a connecting flight to Tasmania to be reunited with her parents.
It is understood that Foreign Minister Bob Carr on Friday contacted the Mongolian ambassador to Australia about Ms Armstrong's case.
Senator Carr said in a statement on Monday that Ms Armstrong being allowed to leave was ``great news'' and good timing so she could see her family for Christmas.
Ms Armstrong, the chief legal counsel for Rio Tinto mining subsidiary SouthGobi Resources, had been interviewed by Mongolia's Independent Authority Against Corruption (IAAC).
Mongolian officials said Ms Armstrong was detained over an investigation into the former chief of Mongolia's mining authority, who is suspected of illegally handling mining licences, according to Dow Jones Newswires.
Ms Armstrong, a former Rosebery woman, had been barred from leaving Mongolia since October 19, when she was stopped from boarding her flight at Ulan Bator airport to her base of Hong Kong.
Last week SouthGobi was informed by the IAAC that the 32-year-old was no longer a suspect in their investigation and the information was then released by the coal firm in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange where it is listed.
An attache at the Mongolian Embassy in Canberra, Hantulga Galaazagraa, told the ABC the investigation had been finalised and it was nothing against Ms Armstrong personally.
He said she had been asked not to leave the country because she might have useful information about the investigation for the anti-corruption agency.
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