Interviews

Austria participates in the EU framework for a consistent development of the relations between the EU and Russia on the grounds of common values and interests. Currently the top priority is a new framework agreement between the EU and Russia. The EU wants this document to address all key issues of our relationships and further increase bilateral cooperation.

 
P&S: What are the key elements of cooperation and partnership between Austria and Russia?

- The intense relations between Austria and Russia are characterized by mutual respect, trust and cooperation. Numerous top level visits demonstrate their high quality. I would like to note the Vienna visit of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Lavrov in June 2009 and the Moscow visits by Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger in October and by Federal Chancellor Werner Faymann in November 2009. Russia is one of the major export markets for Austria's economy. The investments of Austrian companies in Russia are remarkable, having already surpassed an estimated 5 billion euro. Russia is one of Austria's most important suppliers of energy - as it has been since 1968, when Austria became the first Western country to sign long-term gas supply contracts with the former Soviet Union.

The mutual sympathy and interest between Austrians and Russians is certainly also a factor in the rapid development of bilateral tourism. In recent years there has been a large increase in visitors from Russia to Austria, and the positive trend has continued in the past year.

P&S: What are your priorities as a new ambassador of your country to Russia?
 
-  The Austro-Russian trade– after years of boom and constant double-digit growth in previous years – declined last year, certainly due to the fact of economic crisis. One focus of my work is to promote the intensification of trade relations and as quickly as possible to get back on the path of growth. Another major concern for me is the development of cultural relations - an area where we have always had a traditional close relationship between Austria and Russia and in which both countries have to offer an enormous range of possibilities. The Austrian Cultural Forum Moscow makes an important contribution to support further links in this sphere. In 2009, about 50 cultural projects in the fields of music, exhibitions, literature, film, theater and dance have been implemented in Russia, as a rule in cooperation with Russian partner institutions. In the scientific field, in particular the cooperation of historians from both countries is to be mentioned. The Austro-Russian Historical Commission was established in December 2008 as a framework for this cooperation.

I think that there is a high growth potential of the bilateral relations at all levels between Austria and Russia. I want to visit as many of the regions of Russia, to gain a picture of the diversity and beauty of this vast country and to take advantage of the opportunities that this provides for our bilateral cooperation.