TIRANA, Apr 27, 2009 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- The visiting Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said on Monday that his country supports Albania 's bid to join the European Union.

"We support and encourage Albania and all of the western Balkan states in their efforts to join the European Union," Karamanlis said after his meeting with his Albanian counterpart Sali Berisha.

Albania will apply for the EU candidate status of on Tuesday when Sali Berisha makes a trip to the Czech Republic, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU.

Karamanlis urged Albania to hold a peaceful and just general election, set for June 28, which he said will facilitate its entry into the European Union.

"A rule of law, combating corruption and respect for human rights and minority rights are all significant steps towards this direction," Karamanlis reiterated after the half-hour meeting.

Albania last week sentenced an ethnic Greek mayor in Albania'a Southern town of Himara to six months in prison for destroying road signs because they were not written in Greek.

"I assured PM Karamanlis that the Albanian government will do its utmost to help the Greek minority who are living in the country," said Berisha after the meeting.

During the meeting, the two prime ministers also signed an agreement to delineate the continental shelf and maritime borders in the Ionian Sea, where the two neighboring countries' frontiers converge.