Bamir Topi

'An independent Kosovo would be a valuable contribution toward bringing a final and lasting peace to the region,' he said after talks with his Greek counterpart Carolos Papoulias, adding 'that the future of the Balkans lies in Europe.'

'I believe and I am convinced that the region of Kosovo and Albania and Serbia see their future in the European family,' Topi said on the second day of a three day official visit.

Kosovo has been run by the United Nations since major western powers unleashed NATO bombers to end a wave of ethnic cleansing by Serb forces trying to crush a guerrilla insurgency.

The visit by the Albanian president is an effort to improve already strained ties between the two neighbours, namely due to the unfair treatment of approximately 1 million Albanian immigrants living in Greece.

Papoulias was forced to cut short a visit to Albania a few years ago after protestors gathered outside his hotel. The majority of Albanian immigrants do not have proper immigration papers.

Papoulias expressed the country's support for Albania to join the European Union and NATO.