"Albania, one of the poorest countries in Europe, is brimming with pride and the prospect of joining the alliance, together with fellow Adriatic state Croatia, at a NATO summit hosted jointly by France and Germany on Friday and Saturday," Reuters said, adding that there was no euphoric mood in Croatia, "where joining NATO is almost taken for granted and the real prize remains the more elusive membership in the European Union."
Italy's ANSA, too, reported about the differing reactions of the Albanian and Croatian public to this event, saying that Albanians were celebrating it in town squares, while Croatians did not seem particularly enthusiastic about the news.
"This is very welcome news," NATO spokesman James Appathurai was quoted by the AP as saying.
"Albania and Croatia have worked very hard to meet alliance standards with regard to democracy, and the reform of their militaries," he said.
The newcomers "will now benefit from collective security the alliance offers, but they will also bear the responsibility that collective security requires," Apparthurai said.
The France Presse said that after Slovenia, which joined the alliance in 2004, Croatia was the second country from the region of the former Yugoslavia to enter NATO.
The AFP and BBC recall that the imbroglio surrounding the ratification procedure in Slovenia could have delayed Croatia's admission to the alliance.