The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement welcoming the response by the Albanian Foreign Ministry regarding the exhumation of the remains of fallen WW2 Greek soldiers who were buried in cemeteries in Albania. The statement made reference to the just nature of the long-standing Geek request, proving that problems can be solved through dialogue and an open minded spirit.
The full statement reads as follows:
An important step is being taken today towards laying to rest the souls of the Greek soldiers who fell in the Greek-Italian war of 1940-1941. The last unburied fallen of the Second World War.
The long-pending issue of cemeteries for the Greek fallen soldiers was discussed in the negotiations held in Crete this past November. Steps were agreed upon and are being taken, based on a specific time frame, for the full implementation of the relevant agreement, so that this matter, which is first and foremost humanitarian in nature, can be settled in the best possible manner.
We welcome the Albanian government’s response on this historically just request, which shows that dialogue and cooperation in a constructive and open-minded spirit can lead to the resolution of differences and the creation of positive prospects in the relations between the region’s countries and peoples.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to work responsibly in order to safeguard the national interest, cultivating rules of good neighbourliness and conditions for dialogue, with a view to building the common European future our region deserves.