UK to host international meeting on Western Balkans in October

"Foreign Secretary David Lammy will welcome over 15 European Ministers to Belfast from 8 October, to lead talks to promote peace, stability and cooperation in the Western Balkans, strengthen Europe's collective security and combat organised crime and people smuggling gangs," the Foreign Office said in a statement.

Northern Ireland's historic Hillsborough Castle will provide the backdrop for the meeting.

"The Government is putting lasting reconciliation between neighbours in the Western Balkans region at the heart of discussions as the region faces growing threats from instability, corruption and criminal gangs that compromise UK security and growth," the Foreign Office said.

"With unresolved disputes and increasing ethnic tensions in the Western Balkans challenging European aspirations and leaving the region vulnerable to malign influence, the Foreign Secretary will draw on experiences of the peace process and the practical examples of the inter-community cohesion present in Northern Ireland today," the statement said.