03.06.2021 – 20:01
While Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama is paying a two-day visit to Turkey, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias spoke about Greek-Albanian relations.
The head of Hellenic diplomacy spoke during an International Conference that he is happy that Albania has historically made its choice to look towards the EU, which according to him will bring it closer to Greece.
However, Dendias emphasizes that official Athens will not make any concessions in relation to this process, although he says that Tirana’s rapprochement with Brussels is a matter of time.
Dendias says Turkish-Albanian relations do not affect Greek-Albanian ones, however he acknowledges that Rama has a personal relationship with Erdogan.
QUESTIONS: Regarding Greek-Albanian relations in particular, I would like to ask at what stage are our consultations to go to The Hague. And we see that Edi Rama still has a very close relationship with Tajip Erdogan. So I wanted to ask if the consultations are continuing to go to The Hague?
NIKOS DENDIAS: I tell you. There was an issue, which had nothing to do with Greek-Albanian relations. It had to do with the relations between the Prime Minister and the President of Albania, the big dispute whether the President would give the Prime Minister authorization to negotiate the terms of the Hague Agreement, which Edi Rama has publicly pledged and they say he has repeated it many times. , there is no problem.
From now on, I will ask you not to look at Greek-Albanian relations in the context that Albanians are friends with the Turks, so they are not automatically friends of Greece. It is much more complicated. And let me tell you, Albania has historically – and if you look at it in perspective – made its choice. The fact that she is eager to become a member of the European family, which means co-signing of all decisions of European resolutions, shows where Albania will be in 50, 100, 150 years from today. And you will see that Albania has a considerable indicator of agreement with the foreign policy decisions of the European Union.
So, yes, Albania has close relations with Turkey. Yes, Edi Rama has a personal relationship with President Erdogan. We know this. But this does not mean that there is not much ground for improving Greek-Albanian relations.
And you will allow me – I tell you again – Albania to do what I would like Turkey to do in a moment, to return to Europe, to embrace European values and to try to become a member of the European family.
This will definitely bring it very close to Greece in the future, as long as we understand it, see it and cultivate it. And of course, we will not make any concessions to the Albanian side. It must fully meet the conditions for participation in the European building, including the absolute protection of the rights of the Greek minority.
However, I am happy to say that I believe that Albania has made the choice. It is a matter of time, effort, but it has made the fundamental choice.
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