President Aliyev: Austrian companies successfully working in Azerbaijan
By Nigar Orujova
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Austrian President Heinz Fischer held a joint press conference in Vienna on May 13.
Speaking of his official visit to Azerbaijan in October 2011, the Austrian president pointed out that the visit gave a fillip to cooperation between the two countries. He noted that development of friendly relations opened up avenues for Azerbaijan-Austria cooperation in all sectors.
Heinz Fischer said the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must be solved in line with international legal norms.
The Austrian leader noted the developmen of the economic ties. According to him, Austrian companies are successfully operating in Azerbaijan in a variety of fields. Fischer underlined that there are good prospects for energy cooperation between the nations, adding this topic was high on the agenda as part of the visit.
Azerbaijani president said that the Joint Declaration signed between the countries would boost bilateral relations. Ilham Aliyev noted economic cooperation between the countries is successful with trade turnover going up. The companies from the two countries are actively cooperating.
The president touched upon the importance of the energy cooperation, in particular the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline. He pointed out the pipeline will provide additional opportunities for shipping Azerbaijani gas to Europe.
On the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Head of State said Armenia continues to keep part of the Azerbaijani lands under occupation despite resolutions of international organizations, in particular the UN Security Council. The Azerbaijani leader said OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs reaffirmed that the status-quo is unacceptable.
The event featured a question-and-answer session with the presidents.
Austrian President Heinz Fischer and his wife Margit Fischer hosted an official lunch in honor of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva in Vienna.
Ilham Aliyev also met Chancellor of Austria Werner Faymann in Vienna on Monday.
The sides praised development of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Austria.
The Azerbaijani President and the Austrian Chancellor said there was good potential for expansion of the economic cooperation.
They expressed confidence that President Ilham Aliyev`s official visit to Austria would contribute to developing relations between the two countries.
During the talks, the sides also exchanged views on the current state of and prospects for the Azerbaijan-Austria economic ties.
President Ilham Aliyev also met with the mayor of Vienna Michael Häupl at the City Government of Vienna.
Austria-Azerbaijan business forum
An Austria-Azerbaijan business forum was held in Vienna with the participation of Azerbaijani and Austrian presidents on May 13.
Opening the forum, president of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber Christoph Leitl congratulated Ilham Aliyev on what he had done to ensure Azerbaijan`s development.
"Today a lot of huge projects are being realized in Azerbaijan," said Leitl, adding the projects cover a number of spheres and Azerbaijan has good potential for cooperation.
Austrian president described the business forum as an illustration of economic cooperation between the two countries.
He hailed the expansion of economic ties between Austria and Azerbaijan, saying Azerbaijan became a favorable market for his country.
President Heinz Fischer said the cooperation between the two countries covered a number of fields, including tourism, service and banking sectors.
He stressed that the Azerbaijan-Austria business forum held in Baku in 2011 paved the way for the expansion of the bilateral relations, adding the current meeting of businessmen will be a good step towards development of bilateral ties.
President Ilham Aliyev said Austrian companies were successfully working in Azerbaijan making their contribution to economic development of the country.
He also noted the Austrian companies were involved in a variety of areas in Azerbaijan, including restoration of architectural monuments, particularly Maiden Tower, a symbol of the country.
The President said Azerbaijan launched its own satellite, adding the major task was diversification of economy.
Ilham Aliyev also hailed energy cooperation with Austria, saying "Azerbaijan`s energy diplomacy is based on cooperation. It is no coincidence that Azerbaijan made history as the first country which opened the Caspian energy resources to the world."
"Today Azerbaijan plays a crucial role in the world energy security with its system of oil and gas pipelines," Ilham Aliyev said.
President Ilham Aliyev said Austrian companies are "our main partners", and invited the Austrian businessmen to Azerbaijan.
The opening ceremony of the Azerbaijani Cultural Center in Vienna was held with Ilham Aliyev and his spouse Mehriban Aliyeva participation on May 13.
During the visit to Austria, Azerbaijani First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva visited the Imperial Treasury at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna on Monday.
Mehriban Aliyeva and Austrian First Lady Margit Fischer viewed the paintings reflecting the ancient sight of the Hofburg Palace.
Mehriban Aliyeva was informed that the Imperial Treasury contains a valuable collection of secular and ecclesiastical treasures covering over a thousand years of European history.
The same day, Mehriban Aliyeva visited the Spanish Riding School at the Hofburg Palace.
Then, Azerbaijani First Lady viewed St. Michael`s Church, one of the oldest churches in Vienna and also one of its few remaining Romanesque buildings which is now used as a museum, located in the center of Vienna.