AUSTRIA, September 15 - On the occasion of the reopening of the bilateral Icelandic embassy in Vienna, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg received his counterpart from Iceland, Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, on 16 September. In addition to bilateral issues, the security situation in Europe and the forthcoming Icelandic presidency of the Council of Europe were also discussed.

Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg told Icelandic Foreign Minister Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir that he welcomed the decision to reopen the bilateral embassy, which had been closed in 2017.

The reopening of the embassy is an important sign, but above all it gives an additional channel through which Austria and Iceland can work even more closely together in the future. The bilateral relations, which are already very good, will be significantly upgraded in this way,

Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg was pleased to say about the reopening.

Further opportunities for closer cooperation exist through ongoing investments in Iceland’s infrastructure and energy sector. In these areas, Austrian companies possess a lot of know-how from which Iceland can also benefit.

With regard to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg thanked Iceland for supporting the EU's sanctions and positions. Unity is Europe's strongest weapon against Russia. Concerning European security, the two ministers also discussed the situation in the Arctic. On this issue, close cooperation between Iceland and the EU is equally essential.

Finally, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg wished his counterpart all the best and every success for the Presidency of the Council of Europe, which Iceland will take over in November. In this body, too, the member states must demonstrate unity against Russian aggression against the political order that was established after the Second World War. Furthermore, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg expressed his hope that during the Icelandic Presidency, there would be progress regarding Kosovo's admission to the Council of Europe.