New Delhi, Mar 23 (Agency) India and Albania on Thursday held their Third Foreign Office Consultations during which they discussed bilateral relations as well as exchanged views on regional and international issues, including the Ukraine conflict. The Indian side was led by Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, while the Albanian side was led by Gazmend Turdiu, Secretary General of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania. MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, in a tweet, said the two sides discussed ways to further strengthen political, economic, trade and people-to-people ties.
“3rd India-Albania FOC held in New Delhi today. Co-chaired by Secretary West @SanjayVermalFS & Secretary General Gazmend Turdiu @AlbanianDiplo. “Discussed ways to further strengthen political, economic, trade & P2P contacts. Also exchanged views on regional & multilateral issues.” India and Albania completed 65 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2021. Both countries enjoy close and friendly relations. During the FOCs, both sides undertook a comprehensive review of bilateral, regional and international issues. Bilateral discussions included progress made in political relations, trade and investments, cultural relations and people-to-people contacts. Discussions also covered cooperation between the two countries in international and multilateral fora, an official statement said.
Both sides exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, including developments in the neighbourhoods of India and Albania, G20 and the Ukraine conflict. Both sides agreed to hold the next round of Foreign Office Consultations at a mutually convenient time in Tirana, it added. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had held bilateral talks with the Albanian Foreign Minister Olta Xhacka in New York last year. Albania is a country in southern Europe, located in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula on the Strait of Otranto.