Albania, Macedonia to jointly operate border, customs post

TIRANA, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- Albania and Macedonia will jointly operate the border and customs post of Qafe Thana in southeastern Albania, Albanian Speaker Gramoz Ruci and his visiting Macedonian counterpart Talat Xhaferri told reporters Wednesday.

The two speakers told a joint press conference that such moves aimed at further facilitating cooperation between the two countries.

They also agreed to step up bilateral cooperation in all fields.

"Albanian and Macedonian parliaments will address outstanding issues between two parliaments as well as those under the previous agreements between the state institutions of Macedonia and Albania. These include environment, review of border waters, facilitating the movement of goods and people," Ruci said.

Macedonian speaker Xhaferri praised the approval by Albanian parliament of the law on minorities, describing minorities as a bridge linking the two countries.

Ruci in turn praised Macedonian for passing a language law, Albanian language in particular, which he voiced hope that it would be approved by the institutions of Macedonian state.

The two officials told reporters they discussed plans to reintroduce the ferry line Ohrid-Shen Naum-Pogradec, and mutual recognize standards for agricultural and dairy products. Enditem