ZAGREB, May 2 (Hina) - The ambition of Croatia, Albania and Macedonia is to intensify and complete all reforms required for NATO membership so that they can be invited to start membership negotiations as soon as possible and join the
alliance in the next enlargement round, reads a joint statement the three countries' foreign ministers issued on Sunday on the occasion of the first anniversary of the signing of the Adriatic Charter.
ZAGREB, May 2 (Hina) - The ambition of Croatia, Albania and Macedonia
is to intensify and complete all reforms required for NATO membership
so that they can be invited to start membership negotiations as soon
as possible and join the alliance in the next enlargement round, reads
a joint statement the three countries' foreign ministers issued on
Sunday on the occasion of the first anniversary of the signing of the
Adriatic Charter.#L#
In the statement Croatia's Miomir Zuzul, Albania's Kastriot Islami and
Macedonia's Ilinka Mitreva recall that in Tirana a year ago the three
countries signed with the United States a charter on partnership and
solidarity which joined their efforts to achieve NATO membership.
This partnership has already shown that it can strongly contribute to
the creation of a united, free, safe and peaceful Europe, reads the
statement which Hina received from the Croatian Foreign Ministry.
The three ministers point out that much has been achieved since the
Adriatic Charter was signed.
The Ohrid conference on the implementation of the charter and the
Partnership Commission's first meeting in Washington have strongly
encouraged the strengthening of individual and cooperative efforts
aimed at intensifying all-round internal reforms, thus contributing to
the security, stability and well-being of Southeast Europe and the
faster integration of its countries into European and Euro-Atlantic
structures, reads the statement.
Croatia, Albania and Macedonia welcome NATO's recent enlargement by
seven new members.
The three countries thank the U.S. for its support of their efforts to
achieve their common goal - NATO membership - and confirm their
determination to continue cooperating in the spirit of the Adriatic
Charter so as to achieve that goal.
The Partnership Commission monitoring the implementation of the
charter will hold its second meeting in Skopje on May 19-20.
(Hina) ha