Skopje, 29 March 2023 (MIA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani, together with the Albanian Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Olta Xhaçka, Kosovo’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Kreshnik Ahmeti, and the foreign policy advisor of the Montenegrin Prime Minister, Đorđe Radulović, launched the new “Western Balkans QUAD – 100% alignment with EU Common Foreign Security Policy (CFSP)” platform on Wednesday in Skopje.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the focus of the meeting was full alignment of the four countries from the QUAD group with the EU’s foreign and security policy in light of the new geopolitical reality, hybrid threats, energy crisis and economic consequences caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“After the Russian aggression on Ukraine, alignment with the CFSP, but even beyond that, with the positions and values of the democratic world, has become one of the most important priorities of the aspiring EU member states, but also as a clear message for where these countries belong,” stressed Minister Osmani at the meeting.

The Foreign Minister expressed his satisfaction with the establishment of the informal QUAD forum. Each one of these countries, he said, have demonstrated they are trustworthy partners of NATO and the EU, by aligning themselves with EU and U.S. sanctions, but also by providing concrete humanitarian and other technical assistance to Ukraine.

Osmani briefed those present at the meeting on the upcoming reforms, indicating that there will be no deviation from the EU path for North Macedonia, a country known for its multi-ethnic democracy and cohesion, which was recognized by the decision to entrust it with hosting the recently held talks between Kosovo and Serbia in Ohrid.

According to the MFA, the attendees noted that the common strategic goal of all countries who managed to reach full alignment with the EU is full integration within the Union. In that context, and related to the current regional and international development, the process of implementation of EU policies, regulations and standards represents a top national interest. ad/nn/