Kosovo, North Macedonia and Bulgaria signed an agreement with the United States of America on the security of 5G under which they committed to protect their 5G networks from “untrusted” Chinese tech companies such as Huawei.
Part of the separate signing ceremonies on Friday was also US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo through a videoconference from the State Department.
This agreement makes the three countries members of Washington’s so-called Clean Network initiative aimed at ensuring trustworthy companies build 5G networks.
Undersecretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Keith Krach said the declaration between the United States and Kosovo shows that “Kosovo is a very honest strategic partner” and described the ceremony as “strong proof of the friendship between two countries.”
The 5G issue was one of the items in pledges signed by Serbia and Kosovo in September at the White House.
“Both parties will prohibit the use of 5G equipment supplied by untrusted vendors in their mobile communication networks. Where such equipment is already present, both parties commit to removal and other mediation efforts in a timely fashion,” the document signed separately by both countries read.
“We have already taken the necessary action in Pristina on this issue, but I believe that this is a strong sign of the determination of President Trump and the US Government to move forward with the implementation of the Washington Agreement,” Kosovo’s Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti said after signing the memorandum at Kosovo’s embassy in Skopje.
Just ten days after Serbia signed a pledge in the White House, which appeared to aim at keeping Chinese companies away, China’s Huawei has opened its Innovations and Development Center in Belgrade, just ten days after.
Albania joined the initiative in April.
Read more: Albania Joins US ‘the Clean Network’, Pledges Not to Use Huawei 5G
