Smith was speaking at a two-day conference on the military transformation of NATO, which pooled NATO officials, defence ministers and army chiefs-of-staff from countries covered by the Partnership for Peace, including Josip Lucic of Croatia.
In all countries aspiring to join NATO, reforms must guarantee the compatibility of military structures to NATO and the EU, said John Colston, assistant NATO secretary-general in charge of defence policy and planning.
Along with defence, reforms must cover other segments of the state included in the membership agenda, Colston said.
NATO is willing to provide necessary assistance and advice to applicants for successful reforms before they start their possibly overambitious reform projects, Colston said.
The Skopje conference was organised by the NATO Transformation Command in Norfolk, USA, and the Macedonian Defence Ministry.