BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 7. The delegation headed by Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Khalaf Khalafov paid a working visit to Austria in order to hold another round of political consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan and the Federal Ministry of European and International Affairs of Austria, the Azerbaijani MFA told Trend.
The Austrian delegation was headed by Director General for Bilateral Affairs and Common Foreign Policy of the EU of the Federal Ministry of European and International Affairs Political Director Gregor Kessler.
The sides analyzed the current state of Azerbaijani-Austrian relations, exchanged views on the prospects for cooperation. The parties discussed the organization of high-level mutual visits and the development of cooperation in the fields of energy and investment, stressing the wide potential of trade and economic relations between the two countries.
They touched on the potential for extending partnership within the framework of international organizations and spoke about relations in the domains of culture, science, and education.
Azerbaijan's efforts to establish lasting peace in the region, Armenia's unconstructive position and incessant provocations, construction and restoration work in the liberated territories, steps taken towards the implementation of projects for the return of citizens to their native lands, the reintegration of Armenian minority of Azerbaijan’s Karabakh into the legal, economic and social environment of Azerbaijan were brought to the attention of the opposite side.
Meetings were also held with the third Chairman of the National Council of the Austrian Parliament Norbert Hoffer, members of the Friendship Group with the Countries of the South Caucasus of the Austrian Parliament, Director General for Economic Affairs, Innovation and International Policy of the Federal Ministry of Labor and Economy of Austria and Co-Chairman of the Joint Commission for Cooperation in the Fields of economy, Agriculture, Industry, Technology and technologies between Azerbaijan and Austria by Florian Frauscher during the visit.
The inter-parliamentary relations of the two countries were discussed and the importance of parliamentary diplomacy was emphasized at the meeting with the third Chairman of the National Council of the Austrian Parliament Norbert Hoffer. The opposite side was provided with detailed information about the efforts and steps to implement the peace agenda in the South Caucasus region during the meeting.
The importance of the activities of the relevant friendship groups for the development of inter-parliamentary cooperation was emphasized at a meeting with members of the friendship group with the countries of the South Caucasus of the Austrian Parliament. The sides exchanged views on the situation in the region, during which the Azerbaijani delegation provided information on the process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Deputy Minister Khalaf Khalafov and Director General for Economic Affairs, Innovation and International Policy of the Federal Ministry of Labor and Economy of Austria, Co-Chairman of the Joint Commission on Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Austria Florian Frauscher discussed cooperation in the fields of economy, agriculture, industry, machinery and technology. The importance of the activities of the Joint Commission for the Development of Cooperation was noted.