• Source: Western Balkans Quad

    • The Western Balkans Quad (WB QUAD) is an initiative launched in March 2023 by four Western Balkan countries, Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia, to support policy alignment with the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy.


    History


    The initiative was founded on 29 March 2023 in Skopje, North Macedonia by Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora of Kosovo, Kreshnik Ahmeti, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania, Olta Xhaçka, and the advisor for Foreign Policy of Montenegro, George Radulovic. All four founding members aspire to join the European Union.
    At the official launch, Osmani stated that "After the Russian aggression on Ukraine, alignment with the CFSP, but even beyond that, with the positions and values of the democratic world, has become one of the most important priorities of the aspiring EU member states, but also as a clear message for where these countries belong".
    Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia did not join the new initiative. Bosnia and Herzegovina was unable to join following objections from its Republika Srpska entity. Serbia has not joined due to unwillingness to implement US and EU sanctions against Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.


    = Meetings

    =


    Aims


    The aim of the initiative is to facilitate participating states' alignment of their foreign policy with the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy particularly in regard to the energy crisis, economic consequences caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and hybrid threats they face. The initiative's strapline is "100% alignment with EU Common Foreign Security Policy."


    Members


    At launch, the WB QUAD had four founding members:

    Albania
    Kosovo
    Montenegro
    North Macedonia


    See also


    Potential enlargement of the European Union
    Accession of Albania to the European Union
    Accession of Kosovo to the European Union
    Accession of Montenegro to the European Union
    Accession of North Macedonia to the European Union
    South-East European Cooperation Process
    Berlin Process
    Open Balkan


    References

Kata Kunci Pencarian: