Athens, 3 June 2011
During her stay in Athens, Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri was first hosted at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece where she had several meetings with Greek government officials.
In the meeting with the political director at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Typhon Paraskevopoulos, Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri thanked the Greek state for its positive engagement for Kosovo and the stability of the region.
The Deputy Prime Minister spoke about the progress in Kosovo in building a democratic and sovereign state and about other comprehensive reforms taken by the Government of the Republic of Kosovo with a particular focus on the rule of law, developing of a marked based economy and welfare of all the citizens of Kosovo.
Further on the discussions focused on the intensification of relations between the two states in every aspect, with special emphasis on economic cooperation. Both parties highly assessed the importance of further advancing bilateral relations as a common interest pointing out the joint engagement in promoting prosperity and stability in the region.
Mr. Paraskevopoulos acknowledged progress in Kosovo and assured his Kosovo interlocutor that Greece fully supports the integration of Kosovo in the European Union in the spirit of the Thessaloniki agenda for the integration of the entire Western Balkans in the European Union.
The parties also assessed the progress in terms of the technical dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia as a contribution to peace and stability in the region, good neighborhood and regional cooperation and positively assessed the role of the EU in mediating this dialogue.
Following this, Deputy Prime Minister Tahiri then had another meeting with Ambassador Haralampos Dimitriou, Director for Southeastern Europe at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece and heads of Western Balkans departments and discussed at length about concrete opportunities for political and economic cooperation between the two countries. A part of the discussions related to the course of the technical dialogue and the constructive role of the Kosovo side in this dialogue.
The Greek Foreign Ministry hosted an official lunch in honor of Deputy Prime Minister Tahiri along Greek Government officials involved in European and regional affairs.
In the afternoon hours, Deputy Prime Minister Tahiri visited the Helen Foundation for Foreign and European Policy “ELIAMEP” and meet with the foundation deputy president who is international relations professor at Athens University, Thanos Veremis, Mr. Theodore A. Couloumbis, historian and special advisor, Dr. Evangelos Kofos – former Balkans expert at the Greek Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Alexandros Mallias – Balkans specialist, Mr. Thanos P. Dokos, professor with a PhD on International Relations from Cambridge University and Mr. George Tzogopulos – historian from the University of Athens.
Deputy Prime Minister Tahiri expressed her deep gratitude for the outstanding contribution of ELIAMEP and the noted Greek professors in support of Kosovo. Afterwards, she held a speech on the Euro-Atlantic perspective of Kosovo unfolding key aspects and challenges, including the course of the technical dialogue.
In the evening, Deputy Prime Minister Tahiri participated in a supper organized with Greek business representatives operating in Kosovo and other potential businesspeople who can come to Kosovo in the future.
