Albania’s Foreign Minister Ferit Hoxha announced that he met with his Serbian counterpart Marko Đurić on the sidelines of a ministerial meeting in Washington.
Hoxha said the two exchanged views on current developments and future prospects, adding that he conveyed Albania’s position regarding the statements made by Serbian Minister Snežana Paunović about the “ethnic cleansing” of Kosovo.
“I also reiterated Albania’s clear and unwavering position regarding the unacceptable and irresponsible statements recently made by a member of the Government of Serbia. I emphasized the need to unequivocally reject rhetoric that fuels tensions, undermines regional stability and cooperation, and contradicts the spirit of good-neighborly relations and European values,” Hoxha said.
He added that this is precisely the purpose of diplomacy: “to engage in open dialogue, to face each other directly, to confront reality, and to address differences responsibly.”
Đurić also announced the meeting with Hoxha on X.
However, he did not mention that his Albanian counterpart had raised the issue of Paunović’s controversial remarks.
“Continued engagement in political dialogue remains essential for ensuring regional stability and prosperity, as I emphasized during my conversation with Albanian Foreign Minister Ferit Hoxha on the sidelines of the Ministerial Meeting in Washington. We also identified further opportunities to advance our bilateral relations and strengthen cooperation in areas of mutual interest,” Đurić wrote.
