The participants in the Conference for the Western Balkans organized today by the German government in Berlin expressed the need
to “urgently resolve” the dispute between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, “with a willingness to compromise from all sides”.

“The participants stressed the need to resolve as soon as possible pending bilateral issues, in the interest of good neighborly relations and increased stability in the region … The disagreement for the name between the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Greece is one of the outstanding bilateral issues. They also agreed that this dispute must be resolved urgently with a willingness to compromise from all sides ” as refers the joint communiqué issued at the end of the Conference by the Chancellery.

During the meeting, attended by presidents, prime ministers, foreign ministers and finance ministers from Germany, Austria, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia, Croatia and Slovenia, but also the European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, agreed to intensify over the next four years the efforts to bring the countries of the Western Balkans into the European Union.
Further, they announced that in 2015 the Conference will be hosted in Salzburg, Austria and in 2016 in France. “We want to accelerate the process of European integration. The candidate has progressed. We want to exchange experiences and hear from representatives of the Balkan countries which are their expectations, “said Angela Merkel during a joint press conference with Mr. Barroso and Prime Minister of the presiding Cooperation Process for South East Europe (SEECP) Albania, Edi Rama.
Mr. Rama for his part expressed his desire to see Albania in Europe and other countries in the region as partners and allies.

According to the statement the communiqué also stressed that the German Government emphasizes the support of the membership perspective of the Western Balkans. “All Western Balkan countries will have the chance to join the EU if they meet the conditions for membership. Germany is aware of its responsibility for the peaceful, stable and democratic future of the region based on the rule of law and will continue to support the region on the way to this future “.