RIYADH, 17 March 2006 — Relations between Saudi Arabia and Austria are expected to get a boost after the visit of Austrian President Heinz Fischer who arrives here tomorrow.
Fischer, during his three-day visit to the Kingdom, will hold wide-ranging talks with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah. “The talks between King Abdullah and Fischer will focus on a range of bilateral and regional issues including the situation in Iraq, the issue of Palestine and the Iranian nuclear program,” said Austrian Ambassador Friedrich Stift here yesterday.
The Austrian defense and health ministers and a 90-member delegation comprising top Austrian officials and businessmen will accompany the president.
The visit of the Austrian president is significant given the fact that Austria is the current president of the EU and relations between Riyadh and Vienna have flourished in many sectors.
Stift said the Austrian president would also hold talks with Minister of Interior Prince Naif, Riyadh Governor Prince Salman, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal and Minister of Petroleum & Mineral Resources Ali Al-Naimi. Fischer will also visit Shoura Council and attend business meetings during his stay in Riyadh.
On the sidelines of the president’s visit, a meeting of the Saudi-Austrian Joint Economic Commission has also been scheduled for Sunday, he said.
The joint commission meeting, to be attended by top Saudi and Austrian officials including Austrian Minister of Health and Women Maria Rauch-Kallat and President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber Christoph Leitl, will seek to explore new areas of cooperation between the two countries.
On the commercial front, Riyadh and Vienna have already forged close relations.
“Austrian exports (to the Kingdom) have totaled 300 million euros, representing a growth of 47 percent last year; while our imports exceeded 340 million (euros),” said Stift.
The main exports from Austria are cars, electrical machines and equipment, timber, medical products, pipes, paper, special machines, light drinks and energy drinks as well as lighting fixtures. Austrian companies have also been successful in the energy sector.
The two countries will also sign an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation during the visit.
The Kingdom and Austria have already signed an investment protection agreement earlier. Fischer, who has been a member of Austrian Parliament since 1971, took office of the president on July 8, 2004.
