Pristina, 15 December 2021 (MIA) – North Macedonia and Kosovo are friendly countries, committed to making use of opportunities to strengthen bilateral cooperation in all areas, as well as crucial trade partners, President Stevo Pendarovski told a joint press conference with Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani. “North Macedonia and Kosovo recently held their first joint government session in Skopje and signed 11 bilateral agreements, whose implementation will advance economic relations and benefit citizens,” Pendarovski noted, adding that he and President Osmani had an honest and constructive talk. I regard to foreign policy, he stressed that North Macedonia and Kosovo have the same strategic goals. “North Macedonia supports Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations. In that regard, we’re prepared to share our EU and NATO integration experiences with Kosovo. Membership in these two organizations will further stabilize the region and enhance its stability. Regional cooperation is an important element on this path. We’re prepared to continue actively contributing to the region’s infrastructural development and economic prosperity and support Kosovo’s access to current regional initiatives and forums,” Pendarovski said. Moreover, he told reporters that he and his counterpart discussed the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue, which is a complicated process. The resolution of this dispute, the President noted, will result in “irreversible pacification in the region.” “Allow me to take this opportunity to reaffirm our position, which is that North Macedonia supports any solution that’s acceptable both to Belgrade and Pristina, which will contribute to regional stability and won’t endanger the security of neighbors. In that regard, I commend the agreement for de-escalation of tensions in northern Kosovo, reached with the help of EU mediation,” Pendarovski stressed. He, MIA’s special Pristina correspondent reported, also underlined that he and Osmani discussed opportunities for promoting the rights of ethnic Macedonians who live in Kosovo. “In order to bring our citizens closer together and enhance cross-border cooperation, we talked about opening new border crossings,” the President added. Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani told the news briefing that the two countries have signed over 40 international and other agreements between ministries. She stressed that Albanians in North Macedonia are a bridge connecting the two countries, noting that the two nations have strong economic and cultural relations, set to enhance further in the future. “Albanians in North Macedonia are the foundation of stability and a driving force in the country’s EU integration process. I thanked President Pendarovski for his support for Kosovo, as well as North Macedonia’s role in Kosovo’s progress,” Osmani said, highlighting desire for enhancing interinstitutional bilateral cooperation. Moreover, she thanked Pendarovski for the support North Macedonia has offered Kosovo among the international community, in regard to visa liberalization. “North Macedonia is not just our neighbor, but also a partner in many processes, due to the two countries’ EU integration aspirations. I hope the EU will transform its verbal support for North Macedonia into actions,” the President noted, stressing that Kosovo and the region are still facing great security risks due to “Russia’s destabilization tendencies expressed through Serbia.” She underlined that Kosovo is committed to resisting unwanted influence, as well as working with Western Balkans and international partners to prevent destabilization. President Pendarovski is accompanied during his visit to Kosovo on Wednesday by Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani and members of his office. In Pristina, he met with host Vjosa Osmani, as well as with Parliament Speaker Glauk Konjufca and Prime Minister Albin Kurti. Pendarovski is the first Macedonian President to pay an official visit to Kosovo, after it declared independence 13 years ago. During the visit, President Pendarovski will visit the KFOR-West Regional Command in Peja, and the members of the Macedonian contingency serving in KFOR.