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The United Kingdom on Monday called on representatives of the Western Balkans to reject hate speech and work with the international community to maintain peace and stability in the region.
The comments came after a meeting between British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and the foreign ministers of Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, northern Macedonia and Serbia. The US envoy to the Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, and the European ambassador, Miroslav Lajcak, also attended the meeting.
A statement from the British government said the meeting was held at a time when “tensions in the region have reached a peak”, referring to statements by the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina that the country is currently facing the biggest existential threat in the period. of the post-war period and that there is a real possibility of further division and conflict.
“Together with international partners, the United Kingdom is working to address any threat to stability after 26 years of difficult progress in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” the statement said, noting that the situation in the Western Balkans was also discussed at the meeting. of the G-7 held over the weekend in Liverpool.
The statement quoted Foreign Secretary Liz Truss as saying that Britain was committed to the Western Balkans and to protecting and promoting freedom and democracy in the region.
“As we gather in London with the foreign ministers of the six countries in the region, as well as representatives from the European Union and the United States, tensions are high and the international community must act to protect the hard-won peace. “Strengthening economic ties with the region is a vital way to create jobs and prosperity, to ensure sustainability and to support freedom.”
The statement said Britain supports the Western Balkans’ aspirations for Euro-Atlantic integration, while underlining that reconciliation and good neighborly relations are essential to meeting this goal and maintaining stability in the region.
The UK, although leaving the European Union, has pledged to “continue to support reforms” in the Western Balkans. On December 2, Prime Minister Boris Johnson appointed Sir Stuart Pech as special envoy for the Western Balkans.
The meeting aims to reaffirm Britain’s commitment to the Berlin Process and to encourage the role of civil society in promoting peace and stability in the region.
The United Kingdom “urged political leaders in the region to reject hate speech, condemn all glorification of perpetrators of genocide and war crimes, and respect the rulings of international and domestic courts,” the British government said in a statement.
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