TIRANA, Oct. 12 /ATA/ – The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha hosted the visiting Israeli counterpart, Gideon Sa’ar, in Tirana on Monday for talks focused on strengthening bilateral ties and addressing regional and global security challenges.
The meeting also covered Albania’s contribution to the Board of Peace.
During the meeting, Foreign Minister Hoxha said relations between Albania and Israel were rooted in a longstanding history of friendship, mutual respect and solidarity, providing a solid foundation for expanding bilateral cooperation.
During the visit, the two ministers signed a General Cooperation Agreement aimed at strengthening the partnership between the two countries.
The agreement establishes a broad framework for intergovernmental cooperation and a structured mechanism for building practical partnerships in areas of mutual interest, including the economy and trade, innovation and technology, agriculture, water management, energy, healthcare, education, security, tourism and culture.
Tourism cooperation has made significant progress in recent years, emerging as one of the most dynamic and promising areas of bilateral relations.
Hoxha reaffirmed Albania’s support for Israel’s security, while underscoring the importance of efforts to achieve a solution that would ensure lasting peace, stability and security across the region.
The visit also provided an opportunity to reaffirm Albania’s commitment to combating terrorism, extremism, antisemitism and all forms of hatred.
As part of the visit, Sa’ar viewed an archival exhibition documenting Albania’s widely recognised tradition of protecting Jews during World War II, a chapter widely regarded as a source of national pride.
The two ministers stressed the importance of maintaining political dialogue and expanding cooperation at all levels through continued coordination between the two countries, with a view to further strengthening the Albania-Israel partnership.
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