At the initiative of the Austrian Defence Minister, the Defence Ministers' Conference in “Graz Format”, was held in Krems, Austria.
At the invitation of the Austrian side, the meeting was attended by Defence Ministers and high-level representatives of Austria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, and Serbia. The Albanian delegation was headed by the Defence Minister Niko Peleshi.
The conference aims to implement the EU Strategy for the Western Balkans towards sustainability, regional stabilization and pre-accession to the Common Security and Defense Policies (CSDP). Participants were briefed on the latest CSDP innovations by high-level representatives of the European Commission.
During the meeting, views on Defence Policies were exchanged, to promote regional cooperation in the form of programs and activities, in order to increase regional interaction for EU-led Peace Support Operations (SOPs), cross-border natural disaster management operations, and transmitting the military/cultural values of Western Europe, to promote enhanced stability and mutual trust in the region.
The Minister of Defense, Mr. Niko Peleshi, among other things, stressed the importance of every "Open Door Policy" regional initiative for all countries in the region. The inclusion of Kosovo and all the countries of the Western Balkans remains the basic principle that supports regional development in all areas.
At the end of the meeting, the Joint Declaration was signed, which aims to increase regional cooperation in the fields of "Strategic Dialogue" and "Capacity Building". It was also agreed that all participating countries remain committed to an "Open Door Policy", welcoming any country that shares the same principles and contributes to regional security.
During this conference, Minister Peleshi held brief informal meetings with his counterparts from Austria, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia.
During these informal interactions, Minister Peleshi underlined Albania's constructive stance in the region in terms of integration processes and readiness to continue cooperation in the field of defense, as well as explore new opportunities in the future.
