VILNIUS GROUP SUPPORTS CROATIA'S ENTRANCE TO NATO

SKOPJE, March 8 (Hina) - Foreign Ministers of the Vilnius Group countries (V10) supported Croatia's entrance into NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) at a meeting in Skopje on Friday. "The ministers believe MAP is an excellent way to prepare for entrance to NATO, and call on NATO to officially admit Croatia into MAP at a ministerial meeting in May in Reykjavik," read a joint statement issued after the meeting. The ministers discussed their countries' mutual support and strategy for approaching NATO. "We are recognised as a country bringing new value to the entire process," said Tonino Picula, Croatian Foreign Minister. "We have been affirmed as a partner, which is important to the credibility of our performance at the summit in Prague at the end of the year." The ministers stressed a joint vision of Europe as "unified, free and in peace." They said NATO expansion was the integral part of the vision and added NATO has a historic opportunity for a great expansion at the next summit in November. "The ministers call on NATO to keep the open door policy even after the summit in Prague," the statement read. The ministers told reporters the meeting in Skopje was fruitful and conducted in an atmosphere of solidarity and optimism. The Vilnius Group consists of Albania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Macedonia and Croatia. (hina) np sb