Athens, 21 March 2008

Mr. Basha: I was very pleased and honoured to receive in Tirana today one of the oldest and best friends of Albania and the Albanians, Greek Foreign Minister Ms. Dora Bakoyannis.

The Greek Foreign Minister’s visit comes at a very special time for our country; a time when our bilateral relations have evolved in terms of quality, consolidating the very good political and economic relations between our two countries.

This visit is taking place at a very important time for the Euro-Atlantic vision and aspiration of Albania and of the region as a whole. This visit comes just a few days after the tragic incident at the village of Gerdec on 15 March, with the Greek government – Prime Minister Karamanlis and Foreign Minister Ms. Bakoyannis – once more showing their solidarity and true good neighbourly relations in the messages and assistance they offered to confront the tragedy.

Just a few hours after the tragedy, Ms. Bakoyannis called me and expressed her sadness and solidarity, offering specific assistance from Greece to deal with this very painful tragedy.

Just a few hours after our telephone conversation, a team of Greek doctors came to Tirana, and for 48 hours they helped the teams of Albanian doctors to confront the situation. Medical assistance came from Greece, while 6 Albanians who had been injured were transported to Thessaloniki and Ioannina hospitals to receive care.

I must take this opportunity to publicly express my gratitude to Ms. Bakoyannis and the Greek government for the assistance Greece gave us in these difficult hours.

As I said earlier, the political relations between the two countries are very good. These relations are founded on the common perspective we share for the region. Greece is a firm supporter of Albania’s European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations.

Greece is also one of Albania’s most important partners, in terms of both investments and commercial transactions. A very large community of Albanians lives and works in Greece, providing invaluable assistance to their families in Albania, to the Albanian economy, and to the economy of our neighbouring country. Our two countries share the same forward-looking vision and follow the same principles with the aim of making progress.

To further strengthen this cooperation – this friendship between two partners, between the two peoples – our two governments are working hard to resolve all of the issues pending between our countries. Greece, especially, continues to be an important partner in various cooperation and development programmes in Albania, mainly in the infrastructure sector, and specifically in the construction of the Konispolis-Sarande road corridor, as well as other programmes in the energy sector.

Today, we discussed certain joint steps with regard to convening joint committees on the continental shelf, water resources (fresh water), and we agreed for these committees to convene shortly. We also discussed the intensification of economic cooperation and the creation of the necessary facilitations for Greek investors in Albania.

We talked about the upcoming NATO Summit Meeting in Bucharest, and I thanked Greece and Ms. Bakoyannis for Greece’s support for Albania within this framework. Of course, we talked about the situation in the region. Our principles and goals converge at a single point: the stability and European/Euro-Atlantic vision of the region.

We also discussed other issues of bilateral cooperation, and I stressed the strong interest of the Albanian authorities in the Greek minority in Albania, particularly in the education sector and regarding the use of the Greek language and other issues.

We also talked about the process of providing cemeteries for the Greeks who fell in the Greek-Italian war, an issue that is very sensitive from a humanitarian and moral perspective, and regarding which the Albanian side has decided to offer its assistance so that this issue can be resolved as soon as possible.

We discussed the issue of property owned by Albanian citizens in Greece; the exploration of this issue within the framework of the Friendship and Cooperation Agreement between the two countries, on an individual, legal and technical basis.

Ms. Bakoyannis: Ladies and gentlemen of the Albanian news media, good morning. I would like to start by saying that I would like to pass on to you – to all the families that lost loved ones and suffered following the recent tragedy – my condolences. I would also like to express, on behalf of the Greek people, the deepest feelings of support and solidarity. We are neighbours, we are friends, and we feel very close to you. And as I already said to my colleague, this is why Greece was present and I hope that we will not need to work together under similar circumstances in the future.

It is a great pleasure to be visiting our friend and neighbour Albania, and I thank my friend Foreign Minister Mr. Basha for the warm welcome he has given to the members of the Greek delegation and to me personally.

Today’s working visit is an important one in that it gives us the opportunity for a sincere discussion, in a friendly atmosphere, of issues concerning our bilateral relations, as well as issues bearing on the present and future of our region. It is also an opportunity for us to lay the foundations for the promotion of specific solutions for issues that are being addressed by the two countries.

So, as Foreign Minister Mr. Basha already said, today we agreed that in April experts from the two sides will meet on the delimitation of the continental shelf between Greece and Albania.

We are also pleased that we could decide today on the arrangement of an issue of a humanitarian and moral nature: the cemeteries for Greek soldiers who fell in WWII.

The political and economic relations of our two countries are at very good level. But I am certain that they can get even better. Particularly in the economic sector – where Greece has emerged as a strategic investor in your country – measures should be taken to allow for even greater cooperation, to our mutual benefit. I include in this the settlement of issues that concern Greek investments here in Albania.

You know that Greece has made a strategic choice that concerns the future of the whole region: To sincerely and consistently support the European and Euro-Atlantic perspectives of our neighbouring countries. Of course, Albania is included in this strategy. We support you. At the same time it must be recognised that the path to the European Union runs through compliance with specific criteria and prerequisites and respect for the principles and values that govern the EU’s philosophy and functioning.

With regard to your invitation to join NATO, my country’s position is well known. We believe that Albania has taken substantial steps toward achieving this goal. Albania participates actively in regional cooperation and puts its belief in good neighbourly relations into practice. So it has every reason to expect an invitation to become a member of the Alliance at the upcoming NATO Summit in Bucharest. The same holds true, of course, for Croatia.

You know that I cannot say the same for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, due to the 17-year deadlock in the negotiations on the serious issue of its name. This pending issue has a negative impact on good neighborly relations and negatively influences regional cooperation and stability.

The European perspective of the region can and must be accomplished. It demands, from all parties, prudence, determination and dedication in respecting international law and fundamental European principles and values, in which respect of human and minority rights holds a prominent position.

The Greek national minority is a factor that strengthens the relations between our countries and peoples. That is how it should be seen.

Another bond of friendship is the great number of your fellow countrymen who live, work and prosper in our country, also benefiting the Albanian economy.

Dear Lulzim, I sincerely believe that the strengthening of the cooperation between our countries is the basis for a better future. A future of peace and economic development, not only for Greece and Albania, but also for the entire region. This is a challenge that must be met through decisions that are not trapped in the past, but look to the future.