Albania hosts Berlin Process foreign ministers meeting

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - Albania hosted a foreign ministers meeting Friday as part of the Berlin Process in the national capital of Albania.

The meeting was held ahead of the Oct. 16 Berlin Process leaders summit in Tirana.

The main focus was the European Union's enlargement policy for the Western Balkans and tension between Serbia and Kosovo.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Russia's aggression against Ukraine makes EU enlargement a geopolitical necessity.

''Enlargement is not a bureaucratic or technocratic project. It is one of the strongest security tools we have. In order to make progress, many old conflicts need to be solved for good,” Baerbock said at a news conference.

“Provocation from the Serbian side by temporarily deploying massive troops at the border with Kosovo further escalated already tense situation,'' she said.

Baerbock urged Serbia to fully investigate attacks on Kosovo police and NATO's peacekeeping mission troops (KFOR).

"We expect the Serbian government to advance the investigation processes regarding the events of Sept. 24 and contribute to the clarification of the events. The situation is so tense that NATO has increased the presence of KFOR," she added.

Albanian Foreign Minister Igli Hasani said that the only way to peace is the EU-facilitated Kosovo-Serbian talks.

"A very serious, criminal terrorist attack occurred in the north of Kosovo. Our attitude toward the dialogue and normalization process has not changed and in line with the attitude of the EU and the USA. They are in full harmony. In the current situation, Kosovo-Serbian dialogue is the only path to peace,'' said Hasani.

EU Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi said the enlargement plan for the Western Balkans is a key priority.

"The tension between Belgrade and Pristina needs to be completely reduced. There is a need to return to dialogue and all previous agreements, including the Ohrid Agreement, must be implemented and results must be achieved. All perpetrators must be brought to justice and Serbian authorities need to fully cooperate with us on this issue,'' said Varhelyi.

The Berlin Process was implemented by former German Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2014 to strengthen and deepen cooperation between Western Balkan countries, as well as to accelerate the integration of those countries into the EU.​​​​​