TIRANA – Albanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ditmir Bushati held a meeting with Macedonian counterpart Nikola Dimitrov on Tuesday.
In a press conference following the meeting, the two foreign ministers underlined the need to cooperate as the only path towards a safe Euro-Atlantic membership.
Both ministers announced the joint governmental meeting between Albania and Macedonia in fall this year in the city of Pogradec, Albania which will set priorities on strategic and cooperation projects that serve both countries’ development and the region alike, following the Trieste Summit.
In addition, Bushati underlined the importance of our neighbouring country and said that the democratic stability, ethnic harmony and equality related to social and governmental concept mainly among Macedonian and Albanian community is significant to Macedonia and to our country as well as to the democratic stability, regional cooperation and advancement towards Europe and Euro-Atlantic integration.
Minister Bushati praised the Macedonian counterpart and Prime Minister Zaev to the ambitious reforms process as well as the so-called “3-6-9” plan aiming to a more democratic and developed Macedonia towards opening EU and NATO accession negotiations.
He reassured his Macedonian counterpart that Albania will utterly support Macedonia’s NATO membership.
Referring to Ohrid framework agreement minister Bushati said that a part of it is already integrated within PM Zaev’s government programme which also changes the attitude towards Albanian.
Whereas, the Macedonian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Nikola Dimitrov said that the meeting was constructive and the common decision was to go beyond political statements and to focus on more concrete projects.
According to the Macedonian minister agreement was reached on basis of a more strategic sustainability in Balkans. “We are willing to cooperate with our neighbours and pleased that we enjoy Albania’s support to integration processes,” Dimitrov said.
The two interlocutors also underlined the importance of a better economic and trade cooperation in order to boost both countries potentials.