Greece-Albania: Tirana raises issue of maritime border

08 August, 17:24

(ANSAmed) - ATHENS, AUGUST 8 - Tirana wants a settlement with Athens on the issue of maritime borders between the two states, Albania's prime minister-designate Edi Rama said in an interview with the country's Top Channel as reported by daily Kathimerini.

Albania's Constitutional Court has annulled a territorial agreement signed with Greece in 2009 delineating the continental shelf between the two countries in the Ionian Sea. The court argued that the deal had serious legal flaws. Athens has been unwilling to renegotiate the accord. Speaking a few days after an unofficial visit to Athens, where he met with Greek Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos and Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, Rama voiced his confidence that relations with Greece will improve. ''The difficulties of the past will be overcome,'' he said.

Rama, whose Socialist Party government is due to take office in September after a landslide election win over Sali Berisha, said he will seek to improve ties with Italy as well as Turkey.

Strengthening ties with Turkey should not fuel concerns among neighboring states, Rama, a former mayor of capital Tirana, told the network.(ANSAmed).