TIRANA, Dec. 13/ATA/ The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Olta Xhaçka participated in the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Western Balkans taking place in London.
The meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Western Balkans was organized at the invitation of the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Elizabeth Truss.
In her remarks, Minister Xhaçka said that this is a meeting that comes at a delicate moment for our region and that the attention of our allies is a guarantee for the advancement of the region on the path towards Euro-Atlantic integration.
During the meetings with senior officials Minister Xhaçka stressed that Albania is an important contributor to the stability and development of the region.
“I am proud that Albania is recognized by all allies in terms of the merit of being a factor of stability and an actress committed to Euro-Atlantic integration. The commitment of our allies is a condition for the success of this process,” Minister Xhaçka said.
According to Xhaçka, the allies are determined to open a new chapter of economic engagement with the Western Balkans. The Minister also commented on the “Open Balkans” initiative.
Xhaçka said that the “Open Balkans” is an inclusive economic and development space.
“During the meeting with the senior officials in London, as well as those of the US and the EU, the good news is their determination to open a new chapter of economic engagement with our region, increasingly seeing it as a single inclusive economic and development space, such as the one the “Open Balkans” initiative envisages, which enjoys international support and which in our opinion should be comprehensive, which means that we want Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro to become part of it.
This does not mean forcing them to unite against their will, while at this stage work is still in progress, but the 6 countries can join this single economic space linked together by the implementation of the 4 EU freedoms, human, economic, social and political, in order that their implementation prepare the countries towards EU integration,” Xhaçka added. //a.i/
