Japan-Kosovo Relations
Courtesy Call on H.E. Mr. KURTI, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo by Foreign Minister KAMIKAWA
July 19, 2024
On July 19, commencing at 4:50 p.m. local time (11:50 p.m. JST) for approximately 50 minutes, Ms. KAMIKAWA Yoko, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan paid a courtesy call on H.E. Mr. Arbin KURTI, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo during her visit to the country. The overview is as follows.
- Prime Minister Kurti welcomed Minister Kamikawa's visit to Kosovo and expressed his wish to further develop bilateral relations on the occasion of the 15th anniversary. Minister Kamikawa stated that she was honored to be the first Japanese Foreign Minister to visit Kosovo on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Kosovo and that the peace and stability in the Western Balkan region is crucial to the whole Europe.
- Regarding the bilateral relations, Minister Kamikawa emphasized the importance of accelerating both domestic and regional cooperation and the region’s integration into Europe in order for the Western Balkans to further develop. Referring to the various assistance Japan has provided to Kosovo under the “Western Balkans Cooperation Initiative”, she mentioned that Japan continues to support Kosovo's socio-economic development and its integration into Europe. In response, Prime Minister Kurti expressed his appreciation for Japan's support to Kosovo and showed his expectations for strengthening economic ties, including in the areas of renewable energy and infrastructure, and for cooperation with Japanese companies located in neighboring regions such as Europe, and both sides confirmed that they would promote cooperation, taking advantage of the opportunities presented by the Osaka-Kansai Expo.
- On the situations in the Western Balkans region, Prime Minister Kurti explained the current situation of the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue. In return, Minister Kamikawa stated that Japan supports the resolution of issues through the EU-mediated Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, emphasizing the importance of sincere fulfilment of obligations by all parties under the dialogue. Minister Kamikawa then expressed her hope for Prime Minister Kurti's leadership towards the progress of the dialogue.