On Tuesday 7 February, the ambassadors of France, Germany, Italy, the UK, and the US, known as the ‘Quint’ to the OSCE in Vienna, visited the Republic of Kosovo as part of their regional tour of the Western Balkans. The visiting group consisted of some of the most influential diplomats in the region, including Ambassador Christine Fages (France), Ambassador Gesa Braeutigam (Germany), Ambassador Stephano Baldi (Italy), Ambassador Neil Bush (UK) & Ambassador Michael Carpenter (US).
Their visit to Kosovo was a part of their wider regional tour, which also included visits to North Macedonia and Serbia. Whilst in Kosovo, they had meetings with Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Foreign Affairs Minister Donika Gërvalla-Schwarz, and Speaker of the Assembly Glauk Konjufca. They also paid a visit to the Headquarters and Regional Centres of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, as well as the training facility of the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety, which is supported by the OSCE. Additionally, they met with civil society representatives.
The ambassadors highlighted the importance of their visit to the Western Balkans, saying, “The Western Balkans is a hugely important region for the OSCE, and for the governments of France, Germany, Italy, the UK, & the USA. We are very delighted to be able to visit Kosovo as a group during this visit, as well as North Macedonia and Serbia.”
The ambassadors also stressed the importance of continuing to make concrete progress in the EU-facilitated dialogue, supported by all five of their countries, aimed at normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia. They discussed how the OSCE can best support Kosovo’s democratic development across all OSCE dimensions, priority areas, and rule of law reforms.
Their visit to Kosovo and the wider Western Balkans region demonstrates a strong commitment to ensuring the stability and prosperity of the region and working towards a peaceful resolution to conflicts in the region. The Quint ambassadors’ discussions with the government, civil society representatives, and international organizations will provide insight into the challenges faced by the region, as well as offer support and guidance for future actions. Overall, the visit can be seen as a positive step towards ensuring lasting peace and prosperity in the Western Balkans.
Source: Gov[Dot]UK
