President of Kosovo visits Speaker Oshima
On Thursday, 12 September, H.E. Mr. Hashim Thaçi, President of the Republic of Kosovo, visited the House of Representatives with his delegation and met with Mr. Tadamori Oshima, Speaker.
Mr. Oshima, beginning by welcoming the delegation to Japan, stated his hope that this visit, in the milestone year of the tenth anniversary of the establishment of Japan-Kosovo diplomatic relations, would contribute to further developing the bilateral relationship. He also said that Japan placed importance on its ties with Kosovo, the key to peace and stability in the Western Balkans, and would continue to support Kosovo's reform efforts working toward joining the EU. He then expressed respect for the people of Kosovo, who made their country independent through great effort and have been devoting themselves to the development of their nation, and his hope for President Thaçi's leadership to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
In response, Mr. Thaçi, expressing gratitude to Mr. Oshima for his welcome, remarked that Kosovo valued its ties with Japan, one of the first countries which recognized Kosovo's independence, and that he hoped to promote exchange in the economic area.
Other subjects in their meeting included the establishment of a Japanese diplomatic mission in Kosovo, the donation of cherry saplings to Kosovo by the Japan Cherry Blossom Association, further promoting parliamentary diplomacy, and the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.
