Hoxhaj: Kosovo’s aspiration – NATO membership

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In the meeting, they discussed the reforms made by the Republic of Kosovo consolidating internal statehood and strengthening international subjectivity.

Minister Hoxhaj thanked the Prime Minister of Albania, Sali Berisha for Albania’s support for increasing recognition of the Republic of Kosovo and its participation in regional and international initiatives.

“The primary focus of the discussion was developments in the Republic of Kosovo. I informed him about the reforms Kosovo is making to consolidate its statehood, the process of key reforms for European integration, the situation in the north of the country, and I thanked him for his support in concluding the process of recognition”, said Minister Hoxhaj.

The Prime Minister of Albania, Sali Berisha, congratulated Minister Hoxhaj on the Republic of Kosovo’s success in the international arena.

“Albania will strongly support Kosovo on its European journey by increasing the number of its recognitions, and regional and international representation”, stressed Berisha.
Meanwhile, in the meeting between the United States of America and the member countries of the Adriatic Charter ‘US-Adriatic Charter (A5)’, Minister Hoxhaj thanked NATO for the support given to the people of Kosovo and its guaranteeing of peace in the Balkans.

Talking about the Kosovo Security Force (KSF), Hoxhaj said that the Republic of Kosovo is committed to building security institutions up to NATO standards and making the KSF professional.

“The Republic of Kosovo has made great progress in security, and the Kosovo Security Force has been built as an institution with western values, and professionalism based on NATO standards”, added Minister Hoxhaj.

The Minister emphasized that the Republic of Kosovo shares with all regional states joint Euro-Atlantic values, such as democracy, peace, stability and economic development.
“The greatest and most important aspiration of the Republic of Kosovo is membership in Euro-Atlantic structures. The Republic of Kosovo, after the declaration of independence, has proven to be a factor of peace and stability in the region”, said Minister Hoxhaj.

Minister Hoxhaj stressed that the Republic of Kosovo is very determined through regional cooperation to participate in all regional initiatives and security mechanisms.

“It is a goal of the Republic of Kosovo to be part of the Partnership for Peace and a NATO member, and Kosovo is prepared and ready to participate in all military and humanitarian missions in the world”, he said.

Talking about the situation created in the north of Kosovo, Minister Hoxhaj emphasized that illegal and criminal structures, assisted by paramilitary formations, present a threat to the stability and security of the Republic of Kosovo and at the same time, to the peace, security and stability of the region.

“Without fully dismantling these criminal structures there can be no peace, security and stability in the Balkans”, said Minister Hoxhaj.

The Kosovo Foreign Minister also thanked NATO, which in the coming summit in Chicago in the United States of America will promote the idea of an open door policy for membership of regional states in NATO.

In this forum, Minister Hoxhaj again sought the assistance of NATO member states for the Republic of Kosovo’s participation in NATO and Partnership for Peace.

The Adriatic Charter is a successful regional initiative which emphasizes the goal of the full integration of the region’s states into NATO and Euro-Atlantic institutions and is based on the spirit of the US-Baltic Charter of 1998.