Berisha: Greece won’t hamper EU integration

TIRANA, Sep. 20 – Prime Minister Sali Berisha said last week nationalist interests could not damage the cooperation between Greece and Albania.
He reacted following an earlier comment by his Greek counterpart, George Papandreou, regarding protecting the Greek minority in Albania.
Papandreou suggested such acts may create serious problems in relations between the two countries, even support for Albania’s EU integration.
While in Brussels attending a summit of the European People’s Party, Berisha said, “I do not think Greece will block the process or reverse the integration processes. There is a prolonged problem that remains from the time of agreements concluded many years ago. But, in general Greece has been a promoter of the integration process of the region. We should not forget the statement of support for all the Balkans at Thessaloniki summit and this spirit exists in the Greek government.”
Upon his return to the country, Berisha also met with visiting Greek top Foreign Ministry official, Secretary General Yannis Alexis Zeppos. Besides talking about the bilateral cooperation in many spheres, they also referred to the idea that nationalists have no place between the two neighboring countries.
Zeppos also met with Albanian Foreign Minister Edmond Haxhinasto.
The Greek official said to Albanian counterparts Albanian immigrants in Greece and the Greek minority in Albania are the bridges of the friendship between the two countries.
They also said that both countries’ peoples and civil societies should jointly work to discourage the nationalist trends.
Meanwhile the town of Himara held a religious ritual Sunday for the 40th day of death of Aleksander Guma, who died in a car following a quarrel with some youngsters.
No incidents happened in what has been a tense situation. Albanian political leaders of the parties representing the Greek minority and some Greek lawmakers attended the ceremony.