Baku:President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan met with Etienne Berchtold, Austria's newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Azerbaijan.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Ambassador Berchtold presented his credentials to President Aliyev and expressed his honor to serve in Baku. He communicated his intention to improve his Azerbaijani language skills during his tenure.

President Aliyev appreciated the ambassador's effort to speak in Azerbaijani and expressed optimism that political dialogue and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Austria would grow, particularly in areas such as economics, mutual investment, and culture. He highlighted the long-standing presence of Austrian companies in Azerbaijan and the potential for their increased involvement.

The Azerbaijani leader noted the continuous development of ties based on mutual respect since the establishment of diplomatic relations. He wished the ambassador success in his mission.

Ambassador Berchtold committed to diligently working towards expanding bilateral relations. The meeting also addressed the significance of reciprocal visits, political consultations, interparliamentary ties, and collaboration within international organizations. Additionally, Azerbaijan's role in ensuring Europe's energy security, marked by the recent start of Azerbaijani natural gas supplies to Austria, was commended.