Balkans

Albanian President Bamir Topi used the UN General Assembly session to call upon countries which did not recognize Kosovo to do so. At the same time he advocated a dialogue between Belgrade and Priština as, as he said, “two independent countries”.

Serbian Labor Minister Rasim Ljajić and his Turkish counterpart Omer Dincer on Thursday signed an agreement on cooperation. They assessed that the agreement between the two ministries signed on Thursday will significantly improve bilateral relations. 

Officials in Greece and the European Union on Thursday denied media reports that Athens is seeking an extension of an international rescue loan agreement beyond 2012. “There will be no extension of the (loan) agreement – we state this categorically, and of course there is no question of extending the …

War crimes investigators have begun searching a site in a Serbian village believed to contain a mass grave holding the bodies of more than 250 Kosovo Albanians killed during the 1998-99 war.

Serbian President Boris Tadić met with EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Catherine Ashton in New York on Thursday. He told reporters after the meeting that the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština will begin soon, “but that the sides should resolve technical issues before that”. 

UNMIK chief Lamberto Zannier on Wednesday (September 22nd) criticised a government report on northern Kosovo, saying it contains factual errors and a series of groundless statements. “I am sorry that the authors did not consult me or the UN officials in charge while preparing the report. If they had done …

Outgoing EULEX head Yves de Kermabon said on Wednesday (September 22nd) he was happy with the mission’s performance over the past two years. Following his final meeting with the Joint Rule

Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha addressed the UN Millennium Development Goals Summit in New York on Wednesday (September 22nd), outlining achievements and Albania’s goals: to turn it into one of the safest places in the world. Berisha recalled his visit to New York in 1992 when Albania, emerging from a …

EU Foreign Affairs Council will discuss Serbia’s request for EU membership at the meeting in Luxembourg on October 25. This is according to Belgian Foreign Minister Steven Vanackere.

US Vice President Joe Biden has urged Athens to recognize Kosovo’s independence. Biden discussed this question during the meeting with Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou. US Vice-President pointed out that Kosovo’s independence have brought about stability in the region.