Prishtina, 31.08.2012 – The Minister of Economic Development, Besim Beqaj, and his counterpart, Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy of Albania, Edmond Haxhinasto, concluded that the time has come to institutionalize the political will and readiness with a bilateral economic-trading agreement.

In meeting held today in Tirana, Beqaj and Haxhinasto agreed that the first meeting of the Joint Economic Committee Albania-Kosovo will be held this year, with e view to give a powerful thrust to the relations between the two countries in all areas.

Both ministers emphasized that the strategic character of the relations between Albania and Kosovo, the aim of which is to convert them into model relations in the region, is in lien with the wishes and aspirations of both countries, namely to achieve integration in European and Euro-Atlantic institutions.

Ministers Beqaj and Haxhinasto have appreciated the increasingly positive trend of trading exchange between the two countries, and emphasized that there is more room for improvements, in enhancing and intensifying trade exchanges, investments in infrastructure, tourism, creation of a common energy market, etc.

The two counterparts agreed that an important area of cooperation is the development of the natural gas market, and the integration of energy systems of Albania and Kosovo, in order to utilize hydro potentials in Albania and coal reserves in Kosovo.

They also highlighted the importance of developing joint new energy-generation capacities, and the cooperation between the two countries ensuring that the transition of goods towards Kosovo is carried out directly in the Durrës port.