(MENAFN- AzerNews)
By Vugar Khalilov
In 2022, Azerbaijan marks the 30th anniversary of establishing
diplomatic relations with the subjects of international relations -
both individual states and international organizations.
Azernews - the nation's first English language newspaper -
launched a new project, designed to cover the major aspects of the
30-year-long diplomatic ties between Azerbaijan and individual
states.
On February 20, Austria and Azerbaijan marked the 30th
anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Austria is one of the nations with which Azerbaijan has been
developing strong ties as a trusted European partner. Official Baku
attaches importance to Austrian support in the process of
Euro-Atlantic integration and close cooperation with the European
Union. As a country that plays an important role in the world
economy and politics, the Federal Republic of Austria supports the
expansion of cooperation with Azerbaijan in all sectors.
The Austrian-Azerbaijani relations started from quite early
times in history. In 1473, Uzun Hasan, the ruler of the Azerbaijan
Aq Qoyunlu state, hosted a delegation from the Austro-Hungarian
Habsburg Monarchy. After some time, Uzun Hasan dispatched Niccolo
Orolo as his ambassador to Vienna and attempted to strengthen
diplomatic ties.
Over the 30-year-long period of diplomatic relations, the two
countries have been able to build strong ties based on partnership
in the economic, cultural, and educational spheres. For the
convenience of our readers, we are trying to shed light on specific
aspects of the relations in a Q&A format.
Q: When did Azerbaijan and Austria establish
diplomatic relations?
A: Austria and Azerbaijan have enjoyed good bilateral relations
since 1992. On January 15, 1992, Austria recognized Azerbaijan's
independence and the two nations established diplomatic relations
on February 20, 1992. On September 1, 1995, Azerbaijan opened its
embassy in Austria. In 1998, Austria laid the foundation for the
intensification of bilateral relations with the opening of the
embassy for the South Caucasus and Central Asia, and the peak of
this process was the inauguration of the Austrian embassy in Baku
on June 10, 2010.
Q: What are the common points between the two states
regarding the territorial integrity issue?
A: As a member of the OSCE, Austria has always supported
Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and advocated for a peaceful
resolution to the Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The country has especially supported the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs' initiatives for a comprehensive and peaceful resolution
of the conflict.
Q: What do we know about the two nations' bilateral
political ties and cooperation?
A: Relations between Azerbaijan and Austria have positive
development dynamics. Mutual visits at the level of presidents,
members of parliament, ministers, and heads of various state
structures have been very important in the development of relations
between the two countries.
Austrian Federal President Heinz Fischer's visit to Azerbaijan
in October 2011 and the official visit of Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev to Austria in May 2013 marked the pinnacle of the
bilateral ties. President Ilham Aliyev also paid working visits to
Austria in 2016 and 2019.
The signing of the“Joint Declaration on Friendship and
Partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of
Austria” on May 13, 2013, during the official visit of Aliyev to
Austria, was an important event in bilateral relations. The opening
ceremony of the Azerbaijani Cultural Center was also held during
the visit.
In 2018, the Austrian-Azerbaijani Cooperation Council was
established in Vienna. Within the framework of the visit of Ilham
Aliyev to Austria on March 28-30, 2019, the first meeting of the
Council's Advisory Board, consisting of government members of both
countries, was held in Vienna.
The Azerbaijani-Austrian Inter-parliamentary Working Group has
been functioning in the Azerbaijani Parliament since December 13,
2005. Tahir Mirkishili, a member of the parliament, serves as the
group's chairman, which is consisted of 16 deputies.
On the other hand, the Austrian parliament is home to the
12-member bilateral South Caucasus-Austrian parliamentary group led
by Gudrun Kugler. Both groups play an important role in expanding
inter-parliamentary relations.
In total, forty-one documents have been signed between
Azerbaijan and Austria.
In addition to bilateral political consultations, meetings of
the intergovernmental Joint Commission are held regularly for the
purpose of intensifying economic relations. Azerbaijan is given
special value as a reliable partner in Austria's multilateral
disarmament initiatives at the UN.
Austria is also an active supporter and promoter of the Eastern
Partnership initiative, which envisages close cooperation between
the European Union and Eastern European countries. The Eastern
Partnership (EaP) is a key tool of the European Neighbourhood
Policy for a thorough improvement of the EU's relations with its
six Eastern partner nations, including Azerbaijan.
The aim of the EaP is to provide partner countries with expert
advice and financial support for their reforms in order to bring
them closer to the EU's political and economic norms and
values.
Q: What type of economic ties do the two countries
have?
A: Austria is one of Azerbaijan's most important
economic partners in Europe, while Azerbaijan is the most important
economic partner of Austria in the South Caucasus. The
Azerbaijani-Austrian economic and trade relations are one of the
dynamically developing areas of cooperation.
Azerbaijan mainly imports special vehicles, iron or steel tins,
medicines, including veterinary drugs, and equipment for the
textile and leather industries, as well as for the processing of
food products and feedstuff from Austria and exports petroleum
products, raw cotton, fresh and dried fruits and vegetables, rusty
metal products.
The Joint Commission for Economic, Agricultural, Industrial,
Technical and Technological Cooperation between Azerbaijan and
Austria was established in 1999.
The Austrian-Azerbaijani Cooperation Council (CCAA) was
established in Vienna in November 2018 as a platform for
cooperation between the public and private sectors of the two
countries. The first meeting of the CCAA Advisory Board, which
consists of the Azerbaijani-Austrian government members, was held
as part of President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Austria on March 30,
2019.
The Azerbaijani-Austrian business forum has been held as part of
the 10th meeting of the joint commission on economic, agricultural,
industrial, technical, and technological cooperation between the
two countries in Baku on May 16, 2022.
During the meeting, the participants discussed the current state
of economic, scientific, and technical cooperation between the two
nations.
Despite the dominant role of oil and gas in Azerbaijan's
economy, the country is making great efforts to diversify and
modernize this sector. With its position as a transport hub on the
route from China to Europe and from Russia to the Persian Gulf,
Azerbaijan has become a strategically important partner not only
for Austria but even for the whole of Europe.
On May 10, 2022, ADY Container LLC, a subsidiary of Azerbaijan
Railways, and Austrian Rail Cargo have signed a memorandum of
understanding and cooperation.
Within the framework of the document, the sides will work
together to ensure uninterrupted and rapid delivery of multimodal
rail freight from Europe via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railways, as
well as from the Romanian port of Constanta to the Georgian port of
Poti and then to Central Asia and China.
The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Austria amounted to
$220.6 million in 2021.
Q : What
is the extent of cultural cooperation between the two
countries?
A: Azerbaijan-Austria friendship societies operating in Vienna,
Graz, Salzburg, and Linz have a significant role in developing
cultural relations between Austria and Azerbaijan. Days of
Azerbaijani Culture were organized in Austria in 2002 and 2005.
A monument to the great Azerbaijani composer, Uzeyir Hajibeyov
was erected in Vienna, as well as his famous“Arshin Mal Alan” (The
Cloth Peddler) musical comedy was staged at Vienna Chamber Opera
Theater.
A series of events, titled 'Literary Bridge Connecting the
Turkic World' has been launched in Vienna jointly organized by the
International Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation and the
embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Austria in 2022.
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