G7 on changing borders along ethnic lines in the Western Balkans

SManalysis

Foreign ministers of the G7 member states called on Belgrade and Pristina to participate in the negotiations in the dialogue with the help of the European Union

SOURCE: TANJUG THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021 | 16:16

Foreign ministers of the G7 member states called on Belgrade and Pristina to participate in the negotiations in the dialogue with the help of the European Union, as well as to fully normalize relations through a "comprehensive and legally binding agreement that will contribute to regional stability."

In a joint statement at the end of the summit held in London from May 3rd to 5th, they assessed that "unjustified speculations about changing borders along ethnic lines" are not a solution to the challenges facing the region and that such changes would pose a threat to a regional security.

"We resolutely reject any attempt to undermine the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina," reads the part of the statement dedicated to the Western Balkans.

The foreign ministers of the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan reaffirmed their shared commitment to security, economic recovery and the European perspective of the Western Balkans as a "key investment for peace and stability".

They called for internal reforms, the rule of law and the fight against organized crime and corruption, and supported further progress in regional co-operation, in particular through the Common Regional Market, the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans and the Berlin Process.