Hido Biscevic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), met today in Tirana with Edmond Haxhinasto, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania, to discuss regional cooperation and developments in South East Europe ahead of European Union’s progress reports due later this month.

“Decisions of European institutions over the next few months will have a profound impact on the future of Western Balkans”, said Biscevic. “In this context, European principles in regional cooperation should be strengthened to ensure self-sustainability and regional responsibility.”

Deputy Prime Minister Haxhinasto stressed a need for pragmatic solutions in ensuring all-inclusiveness of regional cooperation, for the sake of economic and social development, and overall stability of South East Europe.

The two officials exchanged ideas on the future institutional set-up of regional cooperation. They also stressed a need for a stronger political support to major regional projects.

The meeting is a part of a series of consultations the RCC Secretary General has been undertaking with regional leaders in the course of implementation of the RCC Strategy 2011-13.