Depending on their continued implementation of democratic, military and economic reforms and on their willingness and capacity to meet responsibilities of NATO membership, Congress calls for timely admission of Albania, Croatia, Georgia, Macedonia and Ukraine to the alliance in the interest of promotion of security and stability in Europe, reads the resolution.
The same document was adopted by the Senate's foreign affairs committee. on Tuesday, too.
The resolution, sponsored by Congressman, Democrat John Tanner, confirms that Croatia, and other above-mentioned countries have met conditions for receiving military assistance from the United States, in compliance with the relevant law from 1994 regulating participation in NATO.
The goal is to encourage those five countries to continue working to join the military alliance, Rep. John Tanner, a Tennessee Democrat, was quoted by Reuters as saying.
"It is a statement from Congress that we believe what they are doing is important, and we believe they are moving in the right direction," Tanner told the House during debate.
According to Reuters, "lawmakers said the U.S. resolution was a routine expression of support for the next crop of NATO aspirants. NATO has expanded before into Eastern Europe, including right up to Russia's borders when the former Soviet states of the Baltics joined NATO in 2004."