ZAGREB/TIRANA, May 2 (Hina) - The foreign ministers of the U.S., Albania, Croatia and Macedonia, Colin Powell, Ilir Meta, Tonino Picula and Ilinka Mitreva signed the U.S.-Adriatic Charter in Tirana on Friday. The charter formalises
the United States' support to the three countries on their path to NATO.
ZAGREB/TIRANA, May 2 (Hina) - The foreign ministers of the U.S.,
Albania, Croatia and Macedonia, Colin Powell, Ilir Meta, Tonino
Picula and Ilinka Mitreva signed the U.S.-Adriatic Charter in
Tirana on Friday. The charter formalises the United States' support
to the three countries on their path to NATO. #L#
At a joint news conference after the signing, reporters were first
addressed by the host, Albania's Meta, who said that "the signing of
the Adriatic Charter is a strong message for the promotion of
freedom, peace, stability and prosperity in the region", and added
that all signatories to the charter would work jointly on their
drawing closer to NATO.
"The signing of the Adriatic Charter expresses the dedication of
our countries to be as close to NATO as possible and to continue
cooperating," Croatia's Picula said. He added that the signing of
the charter was "proof of dialogue which exists in the south-east of
Europe".
Picula especially thanked Powell and the U.S. who, he said, were
contributing to peace in Europe with their support.
Mitreva said the charter was "the document of the vision which will
lead us to NATO, where we belong".
Powell pointed to the significance of the charter and expressed
hope that it would spur the signatories in their struggle against
smuggling and organised crime, as well as become an additional
stimulus to the three countries to continue reforms which they had
started and to join NATO.
(hina) lml sb