Italy wants to further strengthen its "excellent" ties with Kosovo, especially in the information technology sector and views the aspiring EU member as key to stabilising the Balkans, foreign minister Luigi Di Maio said on Wednesday.
Di Maio made the remarks during talks at the foreign ministry in Rome with his Kosovan counterpart Meliza Haradinaj Stublla, according to a foreign ministry statement.
"The meeting made it possible to take stock of the excellent state of bilateral relations, in particular on economic cooperation. Minister Di Maio indicated Italy's interest in increasing its entrepreneurial presence in Kosovo...in particular...in the ICT sector," said the statement.
Di Maio reiterated Italy's "firm support" for the European integration of Kosovo and the Western Balkans, which it views as crucial to the region's stability, the statement said.
Italy is "hoping for tangible signals from the EU in response to the legitimate aspirations of Kosovar citizens to be part of the European family," the statement went on.
The stability of the Western Balkans is a priority for Italy, which is the biggest European contributor to Kosovo's security, said the statement. It leads Nato's KFOR mission and contributes the second largest contingent to the peacekeeping force, the statement noted.
Di Maio also "renewed his firm support for the action of the EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina dialaogue, Miroslav Lajcak, expressing the hope that both sides will adopt a constructive approach," the statement underlined.
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