The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Olta Xhaçka, participated in the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Western Balkans, held in London upon the invitation of the British Secretary of State, Elizabeth Truss, with the participation of senior EU, US and UK representatives, Lajcak, Escobar and Sir Peach.

Minister Xhaçka said that the support of the allies of the Western Balkans comes as a signal of the continued support for the region and as a guarantee that the region will continue to advance on the path of Euro-Atlantic integration.

“The good news from all the meetings today with the UK, but also with the US and the EU, is their determination to open a new chapter of economic engagement with our region, seeing it as a single economic and development space. An inclusive space, as it is also foreseen by the Open Balkans initiative, which enjoys international support and that in our opinion should be all inclusive. Which means that we want Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro to be part of it. This does not mean that we can force our neighbors to join against their will in what at this stage is clearly still a work in progress. But this means that we will work tirelessly to explain the initiative and for the 6 countries of the Western Balkans to join this single space, thus preparing for EU integration,” said the Minister after the meetings.

The meeting of the region’s Chief diplomats in London comes a day after the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting, which was held in Liverpool.