Skopje, 13 December 2021 (MIA) – The blockade of the EU integration process of North Macedonia and Albania is unjust and unjustifiable as it creates mistrust across the region. All EU member countries, mainly Bulgaria, should make courageous steps as well as other partners in the EU, Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani said in London. On Monday, he attended a meeting of Western Balkan foreign ministers, hosted in the British capital by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss. UK’s Special Western Balkans Envoy, Stuart Peach, the EU’s Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues, Miroslav Lajčák, and US Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs and Western Balkans Special Representative, Gabriel Escobar, were also in attendance, the Foreign Ministry said. Talks focused on current challenges facing the Western Balkan countries as economic development, regional cooperation and ways to increase trade, as well as the European and Euro-Atlantic perspective, regional security challenges and prospects for closing open issues that put at risk the region’s integration were also discussed. “The blockade of the European integration process of North Macedonia and Albania is unjust and unjustifiable as it creates mistrust across the region. All EU member countries, mainly Bulgaria, should make courageous steps as well as other partners in the EU. On our part, we also need to be prepared for sincere compromises to close this chapter and open the perspectives of North Macedonia and the whole region. I believe it is the simplest, and probably at this point, the only way to produce a new European and Euro-Atlantic momentum in the Balkans,” said Osmani. Also, the Foreign Minister welcomed the decision of the British government to appoint a special envoy for the Western Balkans, Sir Stuart Peach, saying it will contribute to improving regional stability and prosperity and promoting strong democratic institutions and open societies, said the press release During the meeting, the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI), launched by the UK and backed by North Macedonia was also presented. Views were shared on the pledges of the countries participating in the November UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow with Minister Osmani presenting North Macedonia’s efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 51 percent by 2030. FM Osmani during his visit also held separate meetings with UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, UK’s Special Western Balkans Envoy Stuart Peach, the EU’s Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues, Miroslav Lajčák, and US Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs and Western Balkans Special Representative Gabriel Escobar in addition to meeting with BiH Foreign Minister Biserka Turkovic, Wendy Morton, UK Minister for Europe and Americas, as well as with Martin Vickers, the Trade Representative for the Western Balkans of British PM Boris Johnson.