Albania's Milo touches on various issues with Greek leadership - Meeting with Alternate Foreign Minister Kranidiotis (10.7.99)

In statements after meeting with Mr. Kranidiotis, Friday morning, Mr. Milo said that Greek-Albanian relations were very important and continually being strengthened. Both men discussed a wide range of issues, including the Albanian FM's concerns about the treatment meted out to Albanians by the Greek police during recent sweeps on illegal immigrants. Mr. Milo noted, however, that immigrants working in Greece had to abide by Greek laws and that if these were not respected they "must face the consequences."
Responding to a question, the Albanian foreign minister said the situation was not helping bilateral relations and that the images "touched human sentiment".
Turning to other issues, Mr. Milo said the state of relations between Tirana and Athens could, in the future, be a model for the region, and thanked Greece for its help during the Kosovo crisis.
Mr. Kranidiotis, who had been invited to visit Albania in September, said talks also touched on cooperation between the two countries vis-a-vis the European Union and wider cooperation in the attempt to reconstruct the Balkans and restore peace and economic growth. "Greece believes that Albania must proceed towards the European family and has taken such a position many times in the past," he said.