Croatia's Zuzul said meetings of this kind showed that the three countries (Croatia, Macedonia and Albania) were on the right track and that all of this accelerated their admission to NATO.
"By developing good neighbourly and friendly relations with neighbours who have the same interests and goals, we contribute to the stability of the entire region," Zuzul said.
The three countries' ministers agreed to continue cooperating in efforts to achieve joint strategic goals, i.e. to fully integrate with Euro-Atlantic institutions.
Good relations should be reflected in other segments of relations between these three aspirants for the alliance's membership.
The foreign ministers of Croatia, Albania and Macedonia are expected to meet with the US State Secretary in September.
After Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia, seven countries included in the 10-member Vilnius Group, were admitted to NATO this year, the remaining members -- Albania, Croatia and Macedonia -- received a pledge from US President George W. Bush and former NATO Secretary-General George Robertson that the alliance would continue with the open-door policy. This was formalised in the US-Adriatic Charter, signed in May 2003.
The document envisages that the United States will support the three countries on the road towards NATO and that they should cooperate in efforts to join the alliance.
The exact date of their admission is not cited in the charter, but it is said that as soon as they meet requirements, Zagreb, Skopje and Tirana can become full members of NATO.
The preamble of the charter reads that the three countries will be assessed according to their individual achievements.