Portugal has been in favor of EU expansion with the western Balkan countries

TIRANA, Nov. 14 – Portuguese Foreign Minister and President of the Council of the European Union, Luis Amado, arrived Tuesday on a visit to Albania, which is part or the first leg of his Balkan tour to include Bosnia and Kosovo as well to discuss the conflict which prevents finalizing the Serbian province’s status.
Amado met with his Albanian counterpart, Lulzim Basha, and other senior Albanian officials including President Bamir Topi.
Amado pledged his country’s full support for Albania in their effort to become integrated into NATO and the European Union. Portugal has been in favor of EU expansion with the western Balkan countries. “There is no other alternative, neither for the EU nor for the countries in the region, than your aspirations to become members of the EU and NATO,” said Amado at a news conference after meeting with Basha.
As expected, Amado was also interested and talked in Tirana on the Kosova status process.
But Amado declined to be specific until the Troika concluded its work by December 10.
“It would be best to wait until the conclusion of the talks and after that we shall be able to define our stand,” he said. “We shall wait for the development of these events and decide.”
Basha said that Tirana would continue to play its “stabilizing, moderate and constructive role,” repeating that it is in full support of the Ahtisaari package on Kosova’s independence.