Berisha visits Turkey

TIRANA, Sept. 5 – Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha started Tuesday a two-day visit to Turkey in an effort to boost political and economic ties. During his visit to Ankara and Istanbul, Berisha met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, other top officials as well as with Turkish businessmen. Turkey is one of Albania’s main economic partners and a supporter to the tiny Balkan country’s efforts to establish closer ties with NATO. There is a $150 million annual commercial exchange between the two countries. Both countries consider their relations as ‘excellent.’ Both countries have also same stands of Kosova’s independent future.
In a surprise statement after meeting Erdogan Berisha said they had agreed with Calik group, that has won the tender to buy Albtelecom but which was canceled by parliament last year, to renegotiate the terms of the sale contract. It is not clear if that means that the contract was not canceled. It was not clear whether renegotiating included the price of the sale, or other items. “Negotiations are issues of Calik company and Telecom. I am aware of the joint will to consider and resolve such issues,” said Berisha.