Albania and Kosovo consider the establishment of a joint Secretariat as an operational structure that will be an effective mechanism for following up and implementing the agreements signed so far and those that are likely to be signed from now on.
This was declared by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olta Xhacka who welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo, Donika Gërvalla – Schwarz in Tirana on Monday.
In a joint press conference Xhacka said they committed to the full implementation of the agreement between the two Foreign Ministries on strategic cooperation in the field of foreign policy through harmonization of actions and actions of diplomacy. According to her, this coordination of diplomatic action will be supported by the increase of joint representations, especially in areas such as Africa and Asia.
“Albania will raise its voice for Kosovo, without getting tired, as it has always done. As it happens today, even with the EU, where as I believe you know, we have lobbied, but we have also openly criticized the injustice done to Kosovo by Brussels by not keeping the promise of visa liberalization,” said Xhacka.
In her statement, Gervalla said that the language of Serbia towards Kosovo but also Montenegro and Bosnia has become much harsher in recent weeks and months. She added that “we need a better coordination of all 5 countries in the region vis-a-vis our neighbor Serbia and we need a more substantial, not superficial, but more substantial cooperation in all regional processes.”
She said that Kosovo has a very clear orientation towards the EU and NATO and is skeptical about competing concepts towards the EU and Pristina emphasizes this in every forum.
Neither Gervalla not Xhacka mentioned the Open Balkans initiative which is rejected by Kosovo along with Montenegro and Bosnia.
Regarding the dialogue with Serbia, Gervalla underlined that Kosovo is determined for a dialogue in which Pristina is not an object, but a subject.
Kosovo top diplomat concluded by saying the dialogue is about the status of the relations which should have as a logical conclusion the mutual recognition of Kosovo and Serbia. / Argumentum.al
