Greece committed to collaboration with Albania, FM Dendias says ahead of official visits

Greece is “determined to promote collaboration in different sectors of mutual interest and to resolve outstanding issues on the basis of International Law,” Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias said on Wednesday, in a message congratulating Albania on its national anniversary.

“We are prepared to assist Albania in every possible way, in order to progress speedily in its path toward accession” in the European Union, he added, while he also congratulated the country for its great progress in 2022 on related targets.

Dendias reiterated he will be welcoming his Albanian counterpart in Athens on Friday, while he will accompany Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Albania on December 6. He described the official visit as one that “will be held on the occasion of the first ever EU-Western Balkans Summit to take place in a country of the region which is a candidate for accession.”

The Greek FM noted that “the Greek and Albanian peoples are linked with traditional ties of friendship. Greece and Albania share much more than their joint borders – they share a long history of mutual influence and exchanges.” He noted as an example the historical figure of Skënderbeu, “a national hero in both our countries” and added that both countries had suffered from fascism in World War II. The two countries also share ties “through the presence of the Greek ethnic minority in Albania, as well as the large number of Albanians living and working in Greece,” he underlined.

“Building on this unique foundation, our relations have blossomed to mutual benefit,” Dendias said, looking forward to the continuation of the collaboration.

SOURCE; ANA-MPA