The Armenian Foreign Affairs Minister’s official visit to Austria started yesterday.

Edward Nalbandian was received by Heinz Fischer, the President of the Federal Republic of Austria in his residence of Vienna. Welcoming the Armenian Foreign Minister, Heinz Fischer said that Austria is interested in further deepening and strengthening of relations with friendly Armenia.

Expressing gratitude for the reception, Edward Nalbandian presented to the Austrian President the message of the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, as well as the Armenian President’s invitation to visit Yerevan. President Fischer asked Minister Nalbandian to convey his greetings and wishes to the Armenian President. The Austrian President thanked for the invitation and stated that he would pay a visit to Armenia with pleasure.

Edward Nalbandian underlined that the regular political consultations established recently between the two countries on a high-level, interaction in the frames of European Union and international organizations, development of economic ties and intensification of cultural exchanges are already good achievements, on what basis it is necessary to undertake efficient steps for further expansion and strengthening of cooperation in various spheres.

The interlocutors exchanges views on a number of issues of international political agenda.

The next meeting of the Armenian Foreign Minister in Vienna was with Michael Spindelegger, the Federal Minister for European and International Affairs. The Ministers had a tête-à-tête meeting, afterwards negotiations were continued in the format of working dinner.

Welcoming the Armenian Foreign Minister, Michael Spindelegger expressed satisfaction with the high-level relations and underlined that he remembers with warmth his visit to Yerevan, paid last year. The Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs also stressed that his Armenian counterpart’s visit to Austria is a good opportunity to continue the talk started in Yerevan. Minister Spindelegger underscored that a new page has surely been opened in the Armenia-Austrian relations and Austria is ready to undertake efficient steps towards the strengthening and deepening of the cooperation with Armenia.

Expressing gratitude to his Austrian counterpart for the invitation to visit Vienna, Minister Nalbandian mentioned that the Armenian–Austrian relations have centuries-old history, which is remarkable by good traditions and reciprocal friendship. Edward Nalbandian also noted that the main propose of his visit is to give a new impulse to bilateral relations that have an unused huge potential.

For the deepening of the relations between Armenia and Austria, the Ministers agreed to undertake steps towards the expansion of legal-contractual field.
The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Austria stressed the importance of organization of reciprocal high-level visits in order to foster the bilateral relations.

Edward Nalbandian and Michael Spindelegger had a thorough talk on the ways to enlarge bilateral cooperation in various spheres, rapprochement of interaction in the European institutions and international organizations. They also exchanged views on the international agenda and regional issues. In the course of negotiations different directions of the cooperation between Armenia and the EU, steps undertaken for the deepening of bilateral interaction in the frames of the European Neighborhood Policy and Eastern Partnership Program were also discussed.
Upon the request of the Austrian side, Minister Nalbandian presented the recent developments and expectations in the settlement of the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) issue. Michael Spindelegger reaffirmed his country’s support to the negotiations held in the frames of the OSCE Minsk Group, as well as the settlement of the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) issue exclusively through peaceful means.

During the meeting the sides had a detailed talk on the cooperation in the educational and cultural spheres, as well as the ways of their deepening. The opening of Austrian library at the Yerevan State Linguistic University was recalled with satisfaction. The sides also exchanged views on the process of implementation of other programs in the humanitarian spheres, as well as the cooperation between the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna and Diplomatic School of the MFA of Armenia.
At the same day, Edward Nalbandian visited the Austrian Parliament where he met with Fritz Neugebauer, the Second President of the National Council of Austria.
In the meeting the issues related to the development of the Armenian-Austrian interaction, deepening of the ties between the Parliaments of two countries and cooperation of the delegations of Armenia and Austria in the frames of Parliamentary Assemblies of international organizations were discussed. The regional issues in the South Caucasus were also touched upon.

Upon the request of Fritz Neugebauer, Edward Nalbandian presented the main directions of the cooperation between Armenia and the EU, as well as the reforms implementing in Armenia.

Edward Nalbandian also attended the plenary session of the Parliament, where the deputies welcomed the Armenian Foreign Minister with applause in the session hall.

In the morning Edward Nalbandian laid a wreath and paid a tribute to the tomb of Franz Werfel, the eminent Austrian writer, author of “Forty Days of Musa Dagh”.

In Vienna Edward Nalbandian also visited Vienna Mekhitarist Congregation that is going to celebrate its 200th Anniversary this year. Minister Nalbandian had a tour and got acquainted with the reconstruction works underway in the church, museum and library. He also met with the members of the Congregation.

The day of starting the visit the well-known Austrian daily “Der Standard” published an expanded interview with Edward Nalbandian.