TIRANA, Sept 14 /ATA/ At the initiative of the Austrian Ministry of Defence, the Western Balkans Defence Ministers meeting countries was held in Krems, Austria.
At the invitation of the Austrian side, the meeting was attended by the Ministers of Defence and high-level representatives of Austria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.
The Albanian Delegation was chaired by Minister of Defence, Niko Peleshi.
The conference is aimed at implementing the EU Strategy for the Western Balkans towards sustainability, regional stabilization and pre-accession as part of the Common Security and Defence Policies (CSDP). Participants were briefed on the latest CSDP innovations by high-level representatives of the European Commission.
At the meeting participants shared views on defence policies with view to promoting regional cooperation in the form of programs and activities and increasing regional interaction for EU-led Peace Support Operations (PSOs), cross-border disaster management operations and the transmission of Western European military / cultural values to promote enhanced stability and mutual trust in the region.
Minister of Defence, Peleshi, among other things, underlined the importance of “Open Door Policy” initiatives for all countries in the region. The inclusion of Kosovo and all Western Balkan countries remains the basic principle that encourages regional development in all areas.
The meeting was capped by the signing of Joint Declaration, which aims to intensify regional cooperation in the fields of “Strategic Dialogue” and “Capacity Building.” It was also agreed that all participating countries remain committed to an “Open Door Policy,” welcoming any country that shares the same principles and contributes to regional security.
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