Chancellor of Austria Sebastian Kurz sent a congratulatory message to Nikol Pashinyan on the occasion of being appointed Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia. The message runs as follows,

‘’Excellency, dear Prime Minister,

It is my pleasure to congratulate you on the occasion of your re-election as Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia.

On 21th September 2021, Armenia will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its independence. Through all these years, the relations between our countries have grown in both scope and depth. I am pleased that the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) has significantly intensified its engagement over the last years. Armenia now is one of Austria’s focus countries in development cooperation. ADA has also opened a fully-fledged office in Armenia this summer. I am looking forward to further enhancing our bilateral ties with you, also in the economic field.

You are re-taking office in the midst of particularly challenging times. The Covid-19 pandemic and the last year’s conflict in Nagorno Karabakh took a heavy toll on Armenia. Austria is worried about the renewed escalation of violence at the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, causing further loss of lives. I wish to assure you that Austria will continue to do its utmost to support trust and confidence building in the region as stressed also Foreign Minister Schallenberg during his recent EU-mandated visit to Armenia.

Wishing you good health and success in the accomplishment of your duties.