Page 14 - Gazeta AFP

E martë, 14 nëntor 2017
Tuesday, 14 november 2017
By PLATOR NESTURI
This article has
been written for Albanian
Free Press newspaper
he Crete meeting be
tween Foreign ministers
Bushati and Kotzias re
T ceived lots of attention by
the public opinion and media in
both countries. For years, besides
the good neighboring relations that
they shared with each other, Alba-
nia and Greece have also ex-
changed strong declarations on
different issues which reflected the
tension that dominated the rela-
tions between the two states. Al-
though Rama's government plat-
form "Zero problems with the neigh-
bors" also stated that Greece was
a "strategic partner", a formula
which was carried forward by pre-
vious governing cabinets, in the
recent years, everyone has seen
that the government's strategy was
to respond to any statement issued
by the Greek diplomacy or to any
stance which was considered as
meddling in the internal affairs. It
seemed like this confrontation was
gradually giving way to a tense situ-
ation. This prolonged tension had
made us forget how many things we
have in common and how many in-
terests we share.
It must be said that the talks be-
tween Bushati and Kotzias come
at the right moment in time. Decla-
rations for interference in internal
affairs or that Greece could use its
veto against the launch of acces-
sion talks in the EU due to the rights
of the minority, did nothing else but
fuel these problems even more.
Meanwhile, even the Treaty of
Friendship between Albania and
Greece has expired and if the two
countries will embrace a new treaty
of friendship, they should address
their problems and lay good foun-
dations for sincere friendly rela-
tions. Whether we want it or not, we
will always be Greece's neighbors.
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Albanian Free Press' editorial policy
14
ENGLISH EDITION
THE CRETE
MARATHON
ian-Greek war, shows that there are
A scheme of agreements based on the model followed many pending issues between the
two countries.
by Kosovo and Serbia would not have any value in this
Although there were expectations
case. What's more, the Foreign ministers have not the in what the meeting would yield, this
necessary authority on a number of issues on the table. marathon did not produce anything
On many of them, there must be an engagement of concrete. Both ministers were re-
served and even in the joint press
other institutions which have the necessary legitimacy release, they declared that the talks
It's quite natural to get along with dress them. The fact that the talks were constructive, complex and
the neighboring country, because were divided into chapters shows there was good will to find a solu-
we also share the same history and that the sides have the will to find com- tion. In this aspect, the maturity
other things with each other. mon points on which they could work shown in finding a concrete solution
A 48 hour meeting in Crete be- in order to find compromise and so- in the next round of talks which will
tween the two Foreign ministers has lutions. The maritime border, the war be held in Tirana or elsewhere,
been a major and difficult enterprise. law, the issue of the Apostille Stamp shows that we're in the right path.
This was no ordinary meeting where for migrant workers, toponyms, his- It's better that the sides have had a
the sides declared their stances, but tory and geography school texts, is- general consensus rather than
a meeting where since the very be- sues of the properties of Albanian agree on one single chapter and
ginning, the sides admitted that there citizens in Greece, the rights of the leave the rest to time. In this aspect,
are problems between the two coun- Greek minority and the cemeteries let us not forget the talks being held
tries and that will was needed to ad- of the Greek fighters during the Ital- between Kosovo and Serbia. Al-
though it's been six years that they
hold talks under EU supervision and
have signed 38 agreements, they
SUBSCRIBE are not being implemented and the
agreements remain on paper.
A scheme of agreements based
on the model followed by Kosovo
to and Serbia would not have any value
in this case. What's more, the For-
eign ministers have not the neces-
sary authority on a number of issues
on the table. On many of them, there
must be an engagement of other in-
stitutions which have the necessary
legitimacy. Nonetheless, the fact the
sides have abandoned their un-
pleasant language and the fact that
they have found common ground for
cooperation, is in the best interests
of both countries. And not only on a
political level. This release of ener-
gies would open new perspectives
of cooperation in economy and in-
vestments, which would benefit both
countries. Albania's interests con-
cern not only commercial relations,
but also the fact that hundreds of
thousands of migrant workers and
tens of thousands of seasonal work-
By paying a very small postage fee, you can receive ers working in Greece, inject money
Albanian Free Press early in the morning, wherever into the Albanian economy and this
category of people want better rela-
you are, at home, office or at your place of business. tions between the two countries. At
the end of the day, politics and the
Contact by email at [email protected] economic interests of the citizens are
closely related to each other.