TIRANA, Feb 9 /ATA/ – By I. Vata/ President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj, received on Thursday the Special Envoy of the British Government for the Western Balkans, Lord Stuart Peach.
President Begaj highly appreciated the great attention that the British government gives to the Western Balkans region, as well as commended the role of Lord Peach in promoting strong democratic institutions and support for addressing security-related challenges.
Regarding the latest developments in the Balkan region, Begaj underlined the fact that the region is going through challenging times in terms of peace and security, also triggered by Russian influence on some of the regional actors.
Focusing on the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, President Begaj appreciated the willingness recently demonstrated by the Kosovo authorities to welcome the proposals of international partners and underlined the necessity of reaching a comprehensive and viable agreement between the parties as soon as possible.
Both interlocutors underlined the great importance of maintaining unity, solidarity and cohesion among NATO member countries in coping with the effects of Russian military aggression in Ukraine and Russian influences in the Western Balkans region.
Regarding the developments in Albania, the two interlocutors focused on the country’s preparations for the upcoming May 14 local elections of this year, on the commitments of the Albanian law enforcement institutions in the fight against organized crime and corruption, as well as important cooperation with the relevant agencies of the United Kingdom even in the context of cyber security.
For his part, Lord Peach underlined the interest and increased attention of the British Government for maintaining peace and stability in the Western Balkans region, as well as appreciated Albania’s contribution as a non-permanent member of the Security Council of the United Nations, especially regarding the aggression in Ukraine.
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