On the Hague “road” Greece – Albania for the EEZ: All the background
The meeting of Nikos Dendias with his counterpart, Olta Chaka and the references of the two foreign ministries to a “political discussion” indicate that the conditions are now ripe for contacts to begin on the drafting of the co-pledge.
The main achievement of Athens, apart from closing another front, is the engagement of its role as a stability factor that resolves its differences on the basis of International Law.
This development, if it continues, will put her in an even more difficult position Turkeywhich adheres to the constant policy of revisionism and the questioning of both international treaties and geography itself.
On the contrary, Athens, having resolved the differences it had with its neighbors, either by direct negotiation or by referral to The Hague, but always on the basis of International Law, will supports even more the image of the international community.
At the level of leaders
The meeting of the foreign ministers of Greece and Albania in Athens was of a preparatory nature and, according to information, took place in a good atmosphere with Olta Tsaka appearing particularly positive on the issue of co-pledge. After all, Tirana knows that Albania’s European path goes through the settlement of this particular dispute.
The next step to be held in the Albanian capital, which is visited by Kyriakos Mitsotakis next Tuesday for the meeting of the European Union – Western Balkans.
The issue of the co-promisor will be, according to information, on the agenda of the meeting of the Greek Prime Minister with Edi Rama, who in the past had been in favor of The Hague.
The background
A key role to overcome the obstacles and to rekindle the discussion between the two sides seems to have been played by removal of Ilir Meta from the Albanian Presidency and the assumption of office by Bairam Begai. Meta, who never hid the pro-Turkish his feelings, after all, in the past he had approved a protocol of military cooperation with Ankara, he had expressed his strong disagreement on the referral of the demarcation to The Hague.
In one of his last interviews as president, in the Turkish newspaper Miliet, he claimed that “we want to reach a solution, not only in accordance with International Law but also with the constitutions and the decisions made by the countries”.
Athens intends to take advantage of it window of opportunity which is opened for the delimitation of the EEZ, so that Albania is the third country, after Italy and Egypt, with which Greece definitively closes the open “accounts”.