The need for regional stability in South-Eastern Europe topped the agenda during talks at United Nations Headquarters in New York between General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim and Albania's Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha.
Mr. Kerim and Mr. Basha discussed the most recent developments across South-Eastern Europe and the efforts of the region's countries to achieve greater Euroatlantic integration, according to a statement released by the Assembly President's spokesperson.
Mr. Kerim commended Albania for its "constructive engagement in efforts to promote regional stability in the Balkans."
He also noted the nation's willingness to serve as one of eight pilot countries for the "One UN" project, where all existing UN development operations in an individual State are consolidated under a joint office to avoid overlap between agencies and to encourage streamlining and greater efficiency.
The One UN project - established following the release of the report of the High-Level Panel on system-wide coherence - is also designed to accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the targets for combating poverty and other ills that world leaders have set for the year 2015.
Improving progress towards the MDGs is one of the priority issues of the current Assembly session, and Mr. Kerim and Mr. Basha today discussed the MDGs, along with some of the other key concerns - climate change, financing for development and Security Council reform.