TIRANA TIMES
TIRANA, July 12 – Participants in the fifth Croatia Summit voiced support Saturday for efforts by countries in the Western Balkans to join the EU and NATO.
During the two-day conference held in Dubrovnik, they asked Brussels to confirm the region’s progress towards EU membership.
Participants also discussed global challenges confronting Southeast Europe during this time of economic crisis.
Attending the summit were the prime ministers of Croatia, Kosovo, France, Poland, Slovenia, Bulgaria, and Albania as well as foreign ministers of countries in the region.
Serbia boycotted the meeting because Kosovo sent representatives.
Prime Minister Sali Berisha considered the conference as “an extraordinary meeting, taking into consideration the presence of the prime ministers of France, Poland, Slovenia, Bulgaria and others. All the EU member countries, especially the French prime minister, clearly expressed the secure European perspective of Albania, and the region.”
“I believe this meeting was fruitful due to exchange of point of views on all the problematic existing in the region, whereas a clear understating was created on all the developments. Therefore, I can say that this Summit is really fruitful, and, as you heard, all the participants expressed their vision in a full support for European perspective of Albania and region.”
At the end of this meeting, the member countries of the Adriatic Charter adopted the Final Communiqu鬠which highlighted the goal for long-term stabilization and political consolidation of Southeast Europe; in addition, it shows the appreciation for the significant role that the Adriatic Charter continues to play in the relations of our countries with the Euro-Atlantic community of nations and the promotion of regional cooperation; it expresses the commitment for shared contribution in the context of ISAF operation in Afghanistan and the significant role of public diplomacy in boosting public support for NATO membership and NATO-led operations.
Member countries also welcomed the invitation sent to the Foreign Ministers of Serbia and of Kosovo to participate in this Ministerial, under observer status, while praising the participation for the first time, of Kosovo, expressing at the same time the common intention to extend the cooperation in this format in the future.
Besides Berisha, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ilir Meta also took part at the Croatia Summit.
The Summit of Croatia is an annual international conference held as of 2006 in Dubrovnik, Croatia, with its major focus on developments in Southeast Europe. This year marks the fifth running year of this Forum, which serves the dialogue among political leaders, focused mainly on the integration of Southeast region to the structures of Euro – Atlantic cooperation.
The central issue of this year’s Conference is ” Southeast Europe in face of global challenges” Its major focus was on economic governance, global security, transatlantic relations, as well as challenges and problems that the Southeast European countries encounter due to the economic crisis.
