On February 3, the Ministers of Foregn Affairs of Armenia and Austria, Ararat Mirzoyan and Alexander Schallenberg participated in the opening of the Armenian-Austrian business forum. In his speech the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan particularly noted:

"Honorable  Mr. Minister,

Dear Colleagues,

Ladies and gentlemen, 

I am delighted to welcome all of you to the opening of the Armenian-Austrian business forum. This conference is indeed a wonderful opportunity to consolidate the current level of the Armenian-Austrian economic relations, to deepen it and to establish mutually beneficial new business relations, and, in general,  to bring the economic relations between our countries to a qualitatively new level. We have the opportunity to outline our steps towards deepening the cooperation in the economic sphere. To this end, the participation of various Austrian companies in  this conference is greatly welcomed.

As a person from not business, but political sphere, I would like to note that we are undertaking all the necessary steps in Armenia to ensure the required favorable environment where economic relations, business relations, and business in general  can have comfortable conditions. In this regard, I would like to mention the development of democratic institutions in Armenia, the fight against corruption, the establishment of free, truly competitive market relations, and I have the conviction that these words should sound like a melody to the Austrian businessmen, and to all the businessmen in the world,  because I think these are the minimum necessary conditions where  business can and should feel comfortable.

I would also like to note that Armenia has certain economic advantages  and achievements in recent years, especially in the field of innovative technologies. Let's mention "Armat" laboratories, TUMO creative centers. I would like to mention that the successful experience of TUMO is now applied in Paris, Berlin, Moscow, Beirut, Kiev, Tirana. I think the possibility of opening TUMOs in Vienna and elsewhere can be considered.

You know that Armenia is also a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, with its certain advantages and 180 million market. I think businessmen can use this opportunity too. I would also like to mention that with my good friend, dear Mr. Schallenberg, we were discussing this conference in the evening, and realized that we really did our best to ensure the environment I just mentioned. I think here we have to step aside and let the business do its job. I wish the conference success.

Thank you".

During the business forum, the Protocol of the 8th sitting of the Armenian-Austrian intergovernmental commission on trade-economic and scientific-technical cooperation, as well as Memorandums on cooperation between Armenian and Austrian companies, were  signed.