After the collapse of Soviet Union, the natural priorities of the Austrian Foreign Policy has been the Eastern Europe and the Danube region Austrian Austrian Ambassador to Armenia said to Armenian journalists on July 15. Ambassador Michael Postl said at a seminar in Vienna, in Austrian Foreign Ministry, that the Black Sea Region and in particular the region of the South Caucasus are natural extension to that region. "We think we understand the mentality and concern of the people in the region," the Ambassador added. According to him, Southern Caucasus region remains of strategic importance for the EU and Austria. In addition, the region plays an important role for the future energy supply of Europe, he said. The Ambassador said Austria is concerned about "protracted conflicts like the crisis in Georgia and the tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan on Nagorno-Karabakh." He also said: "We hoped for a more positive outcome of the Kazan meeting". "There is no alternative to a negotiated solution and the involved parties have to continue to talk, meet and find a mutual acceptable solution," he added. In Ambassador's words, one important pillar of our relations is Association Negotiations which EU opened with the three South Caucasus countries one year ago. The Ambassador mentioned the importance of 2010 meetings. The then Foreign Minister Spindelegger, together with Austrian business people and journalists traveled to the three countries in June 2010. This year FM of Armenia Edward Nalbandian and later, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan paid visits to Vienna, he said. 5th joint Austrian-Armenian economic commission will meet in September 2011 in Vienna, he added. Michael Postl also said that after an Austrian Development Aid delegation had a first fact finding mission (spring 2011) in Armenia Austria has decided to support an OSCE project with the aim to improve the conditions of economic activities in Armenia and to establish transparent and clear legal instruments. Armenia has made important steps to ensure that democracy, freedom of expression and rule of law continues, he added. "We encourage the Armenian authorities to continue their way of strengthening press- and media freedom and for instance ask them to further amend the Law on Radio and Television within the framework of broadcast transition to the digital system. In doing so, Armenia could ensure genuine pluralistic broadcast media in the country," he said. In conclusion, the Ambassodor thanked Austrian Airlines for supporting this seminar.

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