On 17–18 December 2009, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus Sergei Martynov was on a visit to Austria.

He met with Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger and Vice-Chancellor and Finance Minister Josef Pröll.

The discussions focused on the relationship between Belarus and Austria in political, economic and other areas, as well as between Belarus and the EU, including the Eastern Partnership programme. Both sides highlighted their willingness to enlarge constructive and mutually beneficial co-operation and came to an agreement to intensify political dialogue and contacts between ministries of both countries, and to improve bilateral legal framework.

Sergei Martynov met with President of Austrian Economy Chamber Kristof Leitel and discussed with him the prospects of intensifying trade and economic co-operation between Belarus and Austria. The Austrian side expressed readiness to intensify contacts with the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, including on issues of holding joint presentations of economic and investment potential of both Belarus and Austria.

Investment and economic co-operation was also at the heart of further discussions with the Raiffeisenbank and Austrian Control Bank.

The Austrian businesses praised the Belarusian government’s measures on economy liberalisation and business climate improvement. They also expressed willingness to leverage the newly introduced incentives to come more actively to the Belarusian market, with more possibilities to emerge after the launch of the Customs Union between Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia.