Diplomatic Diary: Clinton praises Turkey-Armenia progress
09/06/2009
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu visited Washington. Also in diplomatic news: French President Nicolas Sarkozy says Kosovo's independence is irreversible and Macedonia and Serbia plan for more border crossings.
 US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu hold a press conference on Friday (June 5th). [Getty Images] |
Washington is very encouraged by the progress made in efforts to normalise ties between Turkey and Armenia, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday (June 5th) after meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. He thanked the US administration for its support and said achieving a prosperous and peaceful Caucasus region is one of Turkey's main priorities.
***
French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Monday (June 8th) that Kosovo's independence is irreversible. "The choice of all the Balkans, together with Kosovo, should be EU membership," Sarkozy said after meeting with Prime Minister Hashim Thaci in Paris. Sarkozy stressed that France continues to support Kosovo on its road to the EU.
***
Macedonia and Serbia announced plans to open three additional border crossings between the two countries by mid-2010, media reported on Friday (June 5th). Ground work for a new crossing point began last week near the village of Lojane, Macedonia. The construction of new crossings was announced in 2003, but the process stalled due to administrative obstacles.
***
High Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Valentin Inzko met with Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini in Rome on Wednesday (June 3rd) to discuss the current political situation in BiH. Inzko said dialogue and compromise among the ethnic groups are necessary for the country's progress. He added that his goal is to transform the Office of the High Representative into an Office of the EU Special Representative.
***
Albanian President Bamir Topi met with his Macedonian counterpart Gjorge Ivanov in the port city of Durres on June 2nd. Topi asked Ivanov to include Kosovo in the political agenda, joint regional projects and meetings to strengthen co-operation in the Western Balkans and boost the region's prospects to join the EU. Days earlier, relations between Kosovo and Macedonia grew strained after Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu cancelled a planned visit to Skopje.
(Various sources -- 02/06/09-09/06/09)
Email to a friend
Print Version 
Kosovo: Impasse at the Border
Energy: Issues and Trends
Changing Perceptions: Women in the Balkans
The Balkans: Going green
We welcome your comments on SETimes's articles.
It is our hope that you will use this forum to interact with other readers across Southeast Europe. In order to keep this experience interesting, we ask you to follow the rules outlined in the comments policy. By submitting comments, you are consenting to these rules. While SETimes.com encourages discussion on all subjects, including sensitive ones, the comments posted are solely the views of those submitting them. SETimes.com does not necessarily endorse or agree with the ideas, views, or opinions voiced in these comments. SETimes.com welcomes constructive discussion but discourages the use of copy-pasted materials, unaccompanied links and one-line slogans. This is a moderated forum. Comments deemed abusive, offensive, or those containing profanity may not be published.
SETimes's Comments Policy