​(Communicated by the President's Spokesperson)

On the return journey from his official visit to Denmark, President Reuven Rivlin met Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen of Austria for a working meeting. The two met on Friday, October 12 at Vienna International Airport.
 
Their discussions focused on the close bilateral relations between the countries and the state of the region. President Rivlin expressed his appreciation for the close relations between the Federal President, the Jewish Community in Austria and the State of Israel.
 
President Rivlin emphasized that he was looking forward to welcoming Federal President Van der Bellen to Israel next year, and that during his visit he would get to know about Israel and the innovation that is advancing in every field, including technology, economics, agriculture and development.
 
The Austrian President praised the special relations between his country and Israel and said, “Israel has gone through phenomenal development in the 70 years of its existence, particularly in terms of economy, science, and research.”
 
Federal President Van der Bellen related to the terrible history of the Jews of Austria during the holocaust saying, “many Jewish Austrians, forced to flee and abandon their life in Austria during the times of totalitarianism and National Socialism, have found safety and built a new existence in Israel. Austria carries a joint responsibility for the heinous crimes that they were escaping from and for the Shoah. Austria acknowledges this responsibility and will continue to do so in the future.”
 
The President asked to send his best wishes to the people of Israel on the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel.
 
At the end of the conversation, President Rivlin invited Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen to a State Visit to Israel in the course of next year, which the Federal President was pleased to accept.