Greek Foreign Minister Meets With Kosovo's President, Foreign Minister

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias (left) shakes hands with Kosovar President Hashim Thaci in Pristina on April 12.

Kosovar President Hashim Thaci has welcomed Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias as he continued his tour of the Balkans.

During a meeting in Pristina on April 12, the two leaders discussed bilateral ties ahead of an EU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia in May. Kotzias also met with Foreign Minister Behgjet Pacolli.

Greece is one of five European Union countries that does not recognize Kosovo's independence. EU leaders have urged all of the bloc's members to join in recognizing the former province of Serbia, which is seeking to join the EU.

Before arriving in Pristina, Kotzias was in Macedonia, where he said progress was made in resolving a name dispute with Greece.

Greece objects to the former Yugoslav republic's use of the name Macedonia, which Athens says could imply territorial claims over its own northern region of the same name.

The United Nations is sponsoring talks aimed at resolving the dispute by the end of June.