Prishtina, 28 April 2010
Today, Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi met with Foreign Affairs Minister Franco Frattini of Italy. The Prime Minister and Minister Frattini discussed developments in Kosovo and the region and the cooperation between Kosovo and Italy.
The Prime Minister began the meeting by saying that the Kosovo Government appreciates the Italian Government’s active support towards Kosovo and the countries of the region integrating into the Euro-Atlantic structures.
The Prime Minister informed Minister Frattini on the priorities of the Kosovo Government and, in particular, he mentioned the visa liberalization process. Prime Minister Thaçi highlighted the Government’s commitment towards fulfilling its technical and political obligations for the free movement of the people of Kosovo in the European Union.
In discussing regional cooperation, the Prime Minister emphasized that Kosovo has established good relations with all its neighboring countries and he reiterated the goodwill of the Kosovo institutions for establishing good neighborly relations with Serbia as well – as two independent states.
The Prime Minister added, “The Government of the Republic of Kosovo is actively engaged in participating in all initiatives on deepening regional cooperation, in order to contribute to regional peace, stability and sustainable economic development. Kosovo will be represented in these meetings only as an independent and sovereign state, like all other states.”
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini mentioned his Government’s initiatives for strengthening the European perspective of the Western Balkans, and he emphasized that Italy supports Kosovo so that it can be part of these significant developments.
