BELGRADE, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Stronger cooperation in the Western Balkans can "unlock region's economic potential" and improve prospects of individual countries on their European integration path, German State Secretary of the Federal Foreign Office Markus Ederer said on Tuesday.
Addressing a regional conference here, Ederer praised Serbia's active role within the Berlin process (enlargement diplomatic initiative from 2014) and its resoluteness to initiate the initiative, together with the European Commission.
"This will be the central topic of the next Western Balkans summit in Trieste (Italy)," Ederer said, highlighting the establishment of the Regional Youth Cooperation Office of the Western Balkans that promotes the spirit of reconciliation and cooperation between the youth in the region as a good example of cooperation.
"We need to unlock the economic potential for the market of over 20 million people. Serbia was very much behind this proposal. It is the biggest country and as a market it still has advantages of branching out to its neighbors. It will not only increase the people to people exchange, but we believe it will also prepare economies of the region for integration into European markets," Ederer said.
He explained that regional economic cooperation is not a substitute for joining EU, but more of a catalyst.
Ederer earlier met Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who thanked German state leadership for supporting Serbia's EU path and the stability in the region.
Ederer also met Serbian Foreign Minister and Acting Prime Minister Ivica Dacic who stressed Serbia was Germany's most important partner in the region.
