The G7 Foreign Ministers reaffirm shared commitment to the security, economic recovery and European perspective of the Western Balkans countries as a crucial investment for peace and stability and support further progress on regional cooperation especially through the Common Regional Market, Green Agenda for the Western Balkans and Berlin Process, MIA’s Belgrade correspondent reported on Thursday.

In a joint statement, the ministers supported the formal opening of EU accession negotiations with Albania and Macedonia and the implementation of the reform agenda related to the EU accession negotiations with Montenegro and Serbia.

The ministers urged Kosovo and Serbia to engage constructively in negotiations in the framework of the EU-facilitated dialogue and to normalise fully their relations through a comprehensive and legally-binding agreement that contributes to regional stability.

They firmly reject any attempt to undermine the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, underlining that unwarranted speculation about border changes along ethnic lines is no solution to the challenges faced by the region and that such changes would constitute a threat to regional security.

“We urge all parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina to agree, and to implement, electoral and limited constitutional reforms, to implement European Court of Human Rights judgments, and to work closely with the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the Venice Commission to move the country closer to realising its democratic aspirations. We welcome the candidacy of Christian Schmidt as High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said a communique issued Wednesday evening.