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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 Legislators eye closer Kosovo ties
From left, Democratic Progressive Party legislators Ho Chih-wei, Lo Chih-cheng and Tsai Shih-ying attend an online meeting of the Kosovo-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group on Monday. Photo: screen grab from Facebook
BALKAN FIRST: The establishment of friendship groups is an important stage in the development of bilateral relations, Kosovar lawmaker Blerta Deliu-Kodra said
/ Staff writer, with CNA
A Taiwanese legislative friendship group aimed at building closer ties with Kosovo on Monday was formed during a videoconference with the Kosovo-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group, which was established at the same time.
The Taiwanese group, which is made up of 39 lawmakers from across party lines, was assembled by Democratic Progressive Party （DPP） Legislator Lo Chih-cheng （羅致政）, who is chairman of the group, while DPP Legislator Ho Chih-wei （何志偉） is the vice chairman, Lo’s office said in a statement.
The Kosovar Assembly’s Committee on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora on June 15 approved a motion to establish a parliamentary group to develop ties with Taiwan.
The motion was proposed by five Kosovar lawmakers from across the political spectrum, including Adriana Matoshi of the ruling Levizja Vetevendosje party.
Lo then contacted the five lawmakers and they established the two parliamentary friendship groups to increase legislative exchanges, improve mutual understanding and expand the two nations’ international space, Lo’s office said.
Hailing the establishment of the legislature’s first parliamentary friendship group with a Balkan nation, Lo said that the videoconference was a major step in the development of relations between lawmakers in Taiwan and Kosovo.
The two nations have many things in common, such as the pursuit of sovereignty and democratic values, and both are struggling for economic survival and international recognition, he said.
When Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, Taiwan was among a handful of nations that immediately recognized its independence, he added.
Matoshi, who leads the Kosovo-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group, did not attend the videoconference as she was in hospital, but several members of the group were present, including Blerta Deliu-Kodra of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, who is vice chairwoman of the group.
Deliu-Kodra said during the videoconference that there was plenty of room to expand exchanges between Taiwan and Kosovo, and that the establishment of the groups marked an important stage in the development of bilateral relations.
Most importantly, Taiwan and Kosovo, as two democratic nations, would fight against authoritarianism side by side, Deliu-Kodra said.
During the videoconference, the two groups agreed to conduct parliamentary exchanges, and facilitate economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.
They also welcomed visits by group members next year, a statement said.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
