Prime Minister Edi Rama was in Paris to take part in the Western Balkans Conference on Monday, where he was welcomed by the French President Francois Hollande in the Élysée Palace, the official residence of the President of the French Republic.

The leaders of the three main EU countries, France, Germany, Italy and those of the Western Balkan nations, Albania, Serbia, Slovenia and others, met within the framework of “the Berlin Process.”

The purpose of the gathering was to bring the Balkan region closer to the European Union (EU) in order to cement stability and peace in the Western Balkans, as well as to address migration problems.

The Balkan leaders signed the Paris Summit agreement in the presence of French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern, and Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi will also discuss boosting opportunities for youths from countries that dream of joining the 28-nation European Union.

The meeting of leaders, diplomats and finance ministers in Paris was held amid questions over the EU’s future after Britain voted to leave. Balkan nations that suffered through wars and political breakups in the 1990s worry that they will now face more hurdles to their membership bids as the EU struggles to stay together.

On top of the agenda was reinforcing security checks of migrants traversing the Balkans toward Western Europe.