Greece supports Kosovo over EU and Serbia talks

The Greek foreign minister Nikos Dendias met on Friday with his Kosovar counterpart in Pristina, and stressed Athens' support to Kosovo's efforts toward joining the EU.

Dendias was in Kosovo's capital to meet with local top officials and held a briefing after meeting with Donika Gervalla.

Kosovo has signed the Stabilization and Association Agreement with Brussels, which is the first step towards joining the bloc in the future.

Dendias said that Europe should work hard to keep the Western Balkan countries away from the influence of other forces, apparently Russia and China, though he did not mention them by name.

Western Balkan countries are at different stages of joining the bloc.

Dendias also stressed Athens support to lifting the visa requirement for Kosovars, who remain the last not to be able to freely travel to the EU member states.

The Greek foreign minister repeated that Athens still does not recognize Kosovo as an independent state but urged strengthening the economic and cultural ties between them.

Greece has been an active presence in Kosovo since a 1998-1999 war between separatist ethnic Albanian rebels and Serb forces ended after a 78-day NATO air campaign that drove Serb troops out and a peacekeeping force moved in.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, recognized by most Western nations, but Serbia and allies Russia and China don't.

Greece and four other EU member states, too, do not recognize it.

Tensions over Kosovo remain a source of volatility in the Balkans.