TIRANA, March 27/ATA/-The bilateral relations between Albania and Greece have improved positively promoted thanks to “the policy of small steps”, said on Tuesday Chairwoman of the Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Affairs Mimi Kodheli.
Kodheli was attending the conference organized by the Albanian Institute of International Studies and Friedrich Ebert Foundation under the topic “Review of Albania-Greece relations, challenges of the present and perspective of the future”.
Kodheli made an assessment of the strategic relations between the two countries and emphasized the indispensability of their intensification in the context of the close cooperation between the countries and the initiative undertaken by the two governments for resolving of the pending issues between Albania and Greece.
From the political viewpoint, the bilateral relations between the two countries can be considered as very good and in the process of further improvement. “They are of strategic significance for us. Greece is part of the strategic quad together with Italy, Austria and Turkey. It is a good partner and cooperative in the context of the NATO. It has constantly been a supporter of Albania in its integration process in the EU”, said she.
From the economic and trade viewpoint, Kodheli emphasized that, “Greece is the main foreign investor of Albania and the second-biggest trading partner of Albania”.
According to Kodheli, the relations between the two countries are experiencing a positive improvement because of what is called “the policy of small steps”.
Moreover, she said, our countries are connected by a great presence of the Albanian community in Greece and the Greek minority in Albania.
“The negotiations between the two governments are continuing for resolving the pending disputes, those inherited from the past, those issues that influence the presence and that are related with the future of our nations”, said she.
Speaking about the war law, Kodheli said that, “It has had a negative impact not only about encouraging prejudices and bad sentiments, but even in economic and property issues”.
“The human rights issue of the Chami people and their descendants is also related. Therefore, to open a fresh page in our relations, the Royal Decree of 1940 must be abrogated along with its side effects. We are happy at hearing today that this absurd “war law” has become part of the above-mentioned negotiations that are taking place between our two governments aiming at its abrogation”, said she./m.m/p.s./
