Brussels, 08/05/2001 (Agence Europe) - Following a meeting on Monday in Brussels with Albanian Prime Minister Ilir Meta, the president of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, welcomed Albania's "moderate" attitude towards the crisis in Macedonia and "insisted that this attitude be maintained in future (…) and that Albania have no hesitation to help in the fight against extremists". Ilir Meta gave his assurance that his country, which is "concerned by recent events", "condemns extremism and supports Macedonia's territorial integrity". Mr Meta insisted that Skopje should "improve the rights of the Albanian minority in order to isolate extremists". The crisis in Macedonia "is not only imported", he said.
Mr Prodi recalled that next week there would be a meeting of the Pilot Group on Albania but, before this meeting, he cannot say when negotiations for signing an EU/Albania Stabilisation and Association Agreement may begin. He expressed his "satisfaction for progress accomplished by Albania over the past two years" although there are "still many chapters to write".
Mr Meta also met NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson, who pointed out that a NATO expert team had been sent to Albania to examine how border control can be tightened between this country and Macedonia.