Albania sees ties with Serbia, Cyprus

Albania’s foreign minister says his country’s recognition of Kosovo won’t impede improving ties with Serbia and Cyprus which do not.

Ilir Meta says Albania backs Kosovo’s entry into the European Union to bring about regional stability. He says despite some EU states’ refusal to recognize Kosovo “everyone agrees’ that it will eventually join the bloc “as the whole western Balkans is going to be.’

Meta thanked his Cypriot counterpart, Markos Kyprianou, on Thursday for his offer to help further Albania’s own EU membership ambitions.

Kosovo, with its majority ethnic Albanian population, declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Some 69 countries, including the U.S. and most EU states, have recognized it.