Australian lawyer detained in Mongolia

24 Oct 2012, 9:23 am   -   Source: AAP
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Foreign Minister Bob Carr said the Australian Consul-General to Mongolia, David Lawson, would accompany Ms Armstrong to the second round of questioning.

Foreign Minister Bob Carr said the Australian Consul-General to Mongolia, David Lawson, would accompany Ms Armstrong to the second round of questioning.

An Australian lawyer has been prevented from leaving Mongolia so that local authorities can question her about corruption allegations. 

An Australian lawyer has been prevented from leaving Mongolia as she is embroiled in a murky legal case.

Sarah Armstrong, 32, a mining lawyer for Rio Tinto subsidiary South Gobi Resources, was stopped at Ulaanbaatar's airport on Friday because police wanted to quiz her about allegations of money laundering and corruption.

Mongolian authorities are expected to interview her again on Wednesday or Thursday.

Foreign Minister Bob Carr said the Australian Consul-General to Mongolia, David Lawson, would accompany Ms Armstrong to the second round of questioning.

"She hasn't been detained, she hasn't been arrested, her passport hasn't been taken from her," Senator Carr told ABC Radio on Wednesday.

He said he had not been advised about any allegations against Ms Armstrong, but it was a complex matter between the company she works for, the resources authority of Mongolia and its anti-corruption authority.

Senator Carr was in Mongolia a month ago to open the new Australian consulate, and said there were no indications of trouble brewing while he was there.

"Australia's got big investments there, we're the biggest investor in mining," he said.

"Our relationship with Mongolia is very good."

Senator Carr said he expected the issue to be resolved quickly.

He would not comment on speculation Ms Armstrong had been targeted as a payback for making allegations of corruption three months ago.

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