Pristina/Skopje - The parliaments of Kosovo and Macedonia have ratified a border agreement, ending a long dispute over the volatile region and established diplomatic ties, media reports said Sunday. Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki and his Kosovo counterpart Skender Hiseni signed Sunday afternoon in Skopje an agreement on establishing diplomatic ties, the Macedonian' ministry said in a statement.
Kosovo ratified the agreement on Saturday with 81 out of 120 members of parliament backing the deal. Prime Minister Hashim Thaci and President Fatmir Sejdiu welcomed the ratification saying "it creates stability, safety and opens the path for European integration for Kosovo."
Macedonia ratified the agreement late Saturday after a long dispute, with the opposition threatening to take the deal to the Supreme Court. In the 120-member parliament, 72 were for and 11 against the motion.
Albanians make up a third of Macedonian population and have very close contacts with their compatriots in Kosovo where they are in the majority.
The border between Kosovo and Macedonia was agreed in 2001 when Kosovo was still part of Serbia. The region was used by Albanian extremists during Macedonia's insurgency in 2001 and is now populated by Albanians. Police say it is used by smugglers.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February 2008, after years of international supervision. It is recognised as independent by more than 60 countries, including Macedonia, the majority of European Union members and the United States.
Kosovo and Montenegro have yet to conclude a similar border deal.
