Brief history of Austrian-Saudi Arabian relations
On 7 July 1880, Austrian Emperor Francis Joseph appointed Lorenzo Rubelli, the representative of the Austrian shipping line "Oesterreichischer Lloyd" in Jeddah, as Honorary Vice Consul of the newly erected Austrian Consulate in Jeddah. Rubelli as well as his successors Ludwig Stoss and Gallimberti primarily looked after Austro-Hungarian trade and shipping interests.
At the beginning of the 20th century, medical doctors (Dr. Leo Prochnik from 1903 to 1906 and Dr. Dusan Toncic-Sorinj - whose son Dr. Lujo Toncic-Sorinj later was to become Austrian Foreign Minister - from 1906 to the outbreak of First World War in 1914) served as Honorary Consuls.
The Republic of Austria established diplomatic and consular relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 10 September 1957. An Austrian Honorary Consulate in Jeddah was opened on 9 November 1961.
On 24 November 1966 the Austrian diplomat Dr. Elmar Gamper arrived in Jeddah and opened the Austrian Embassy. He first served as Chargé d´affaires and from 7 March 1967 as Ambassador.
In 1985 the Austrian Embassy was transferred to Riyadh; it was moved to new premises in the Diplomatic Quarter in 1999.
