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MIA

Macedonian Defense Minister Vlado Buckovski, who paid an official one-day visit to Albania Sunday, met with his Albanian counterpart Pandeli Majko. The meeting was focused on the bilateral relations between the two countries, security of the border-zone, and possible existence of terrorists' training camps in Albania.

Minister Majko, hailing the stabilization of the situation in Macedonia, said that: "the facts, and facts only can lead us to progress in our negotiations."

Majko denied the existence of terrorists' training camps in Albania and expressed readiness for international inspection.

Minister Buckovski stressed that both Macedonia's and Albania's priority was the disarmament and restoration of the peace in the region.

Asked if measures would be undertaken for securing of the Macedonian-Albanian border and for prevention of the illegal trespassing of the border, Minister Majko said that Albania was ready to allow inspections of the regions where alleged terrorists' camps existed.

Minister Buckovski said that international inspection teams would pay a visit to the regions of Bajram Curi, Kuks and Tropoja.

Buckovski also had a meeting with Albanian Prime Minister Ilir Meta, focused on bilateral relations and the status of Macedonian minority in Albania.

Meta agreed to discuss the issue on training camps in Albania, where former members of the so-called NLA had been trained, expressing readiness to meet all Macedonia's demands in that respect, Buckovski said after the meeting.

In regard to the usage of the reference FYROM by Albania in its communications with Macedonia, Buckovski said that Albanian side granted support for solving of this issue.

"Meta says that both names will be used in the communications with Macedonia,", Buckovski added.

Meta also invited Macedonia to take part in the project of Albania, Greece and Italy on combat against organized crime, giving its contribution to the global fight against terrorism.

The meeting between Buckovski and Arta Dede, Albanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, was focused on the minority rights in the two countries, the right to education in native language and the use of the reference FYROM from the Albanian side in the official communication.

MIA's special correspondent reported that Minister Buckovski has set up a question about the education on Macedonian language for the Macedonian minority in Albania that lives in the regions of Golo Brdo, Prespa, Gora and Tirana.

Pointing out the support from the Albanian Government to Macedonia's territorial sovereignty and integrity, Albanian Minister Dade said that Albania condemns every form of violence.

"Besides the joint commitment for Euro-Atlantic integration, we are connected by other aspects as well, such as the 23% Albanian minority in Macedonia and the Macedonian minority in Albania," Dade said, expressing hope that after the Ohrid Agreement the Albanians in Macedonia would be more loyal to the country.

Buckovski, accompanied by his deputy Boris Zmejkovski and Chief of the Macedonian Army Staff Metodi Stamboliski, met with representatives of Macedonians, who live in Albania.