Tirana, 12 September 2011 (MIA) - The foreign ministers of Italy and Greece are in Tirana to try and talk rival Albanian politicians into agreeing on key reforms required for the country's European Union accession bid.

A statement from the EU office in Tirana says Italy's Franco Frattini and Greece's Stavros Lambrinidis are meeting Albania's prime minister, main opposition leader and president Monday.

The statement says the talks are meant to "encourage" the small Balkan country's politicians to work together on its EU integration process.

Albania applied for EU candidate status in 2009, but was turned down last year.

Last week the main opposition Socialists ended a lengthy parliament boycott to help pass EU-mandated reforms, but it still remains unclear whether they will back all required draft legislation.