07 May 2023 11:41

On 5 May 2023, the delegation led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Khalaf Khalafov paid a working visit to the Republic of Austria for the purpose of holding the next political consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of the Republic of Austria.

At the political consultations, the Austrian delegation was headed by Gregor Kössler, Director General for Bilateral Affairs and the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union, Political Director of the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of this country.

During the consultations, the current state of Azerbaijan-Austria relations was analyzed, and an exchange of views was conducted on cooperation prospects. The broad potential opportunities for trade and economic relations between the two countries were emphasized, and issues of organizing high-level mutual visits and developing cooperation in the fields of energy and investment were discussed.

Relations in the fields of culture, science and education were also discussed. During the discussions, the sides touched upon opportunities for expanding cooperation within the framework of international organizations.

The efforts of our country towards establishing lasting peace in the region, Armenia’s non-constructive position and continued provocations, the restoration and construction works carried out in our liberated territories, the projects implemented towards the return of the population to their native lands, and the steps taken regarding the reintegration of residents of Armenian origin of Garabagh into Azerbaijan’s legal, economic and social environment were conveyed to the other side.

Within the framework of the visit, meetings were also held with Norbert Hofer, Third President of the National Council of the Austrian Parliament, members of the Austria-South Caucasus Friendship Group of the Austrian Parliament, and Florian Frauscher, Director General for Economic Affairs, Innovation and International Policy of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Economy of the Republic of Austria and Co-Chair of the Joint Commission on Cooperation in the fields of economy, agriculture, industry, technology and technics between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Austria.

At the meeting held with Norbert Hofer, Third President of the National Council of the Austrian Parliament, relations between the two countries in the interparliamentary field were discussed, and the importance of parliamentary diplomacy was emphasized. During the meeting, detailed information was provided to the other side about the efforts and steps towards the implementation of the peace agenda in the South Caucasus region.

At the meeting with members of the Friendship Group of the Austrian Parliament with the South Caucasus countries, the importance of the activities of relevant friendship groups for the development of interparliamentary cooperation was emphasized, information was also provided on the process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and an exchange of views was conducted on the situation in the region.

Within the framework of the visit, at the meeting held by Deputy Minister Kh. Khalafov with Florian Frauscher, Director General for Economic Affairs, Innovation and International Policy of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Economy of the Republic of Austria and Co-Chair of the Joint Commission on Cooperation in the fields of economy, agriculture, industry, technology and technics between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Austria, the current state and prospects of cooperation in the economic field between the two countries, and the importance of the activity of the Joint Commission for the development of cooperation were noted.