Off the wire
• Chinese, U.S. presidents hold phone conversation on ties  • Cargo trucks enter Nepal via Birgunj-Raxaul border after 135 days  • Spanish stock market rises 0.37 pct  • Swine flu kills two in BiH  • Zimbabwe declares agriculture state of disaster due to drought  • British FTSE 100 decreases 0.86 pct on Friday  • Roundup: Royal Mint releases commemorative coins in celebration of Chinese Year of Monkey  • EU security, defense: The Netherlands calls for more joint use of capacities  • Hotel fire kills 17 in Iraq's Arbil  • Nepalese tourism industry hopeful of revival through new consulate in China  
You are here: 　 Home

Austria continues to support EU accession for Western Balkans countries: FM

Xinhua, February 6, 2016 Adjust font size:

Austrian Minister for Foreign Affairs Sebastian Kurz on Friday reiterated his government's stance that it would like to see the Western Balkans nations in the European Union, ahead of a scheduled visit to the region next week.

Kurz said in an interview with the Austria Press Agency that his visit marks Austria's "continued commitment for the Western Balkans," to whom it is also "humanly, economically, culturally, and historically closely linked."

He said EU convergence for these countries would provide greater prosperity, stability, and legal certainty, as well as have the effect of securing jobs in Austria.

"Austria therefore very clearly remains an advocate for EU accession for all countries of the Western Balkans," he added.

The minister will have his first stop in Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday, and will make his way through the Western Balkan nations ending with a visit to Macedonia on Friday.

Topics of discussion with leaders of these countries will range from the refugee crisis to cultural and business exchanges. Endit