Macedonia, Albania, Croatia to Lobby NATO for Membership

Ministers Ilinka Mitreva, Kastriot Islami and Miomir Zuzul issued their call in Skopje at a meeting of countries which joined the United States in signing the U.S. Adriatic Partnership Charter a year ago. The three ministers said their countries have made considerable progress in pursuit of reforms since they signed the document last year. The ministers stressed the hopes of their countries for membership in other Europe-wide organizations and pledged to support Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro as they pursue similar goals. Bosnia's Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic and his counterpart from Serbia and Montenegro, Vuk Draskovic, also attended Thursday's session. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and officials of the three partnership countries signed the charter last year in Tirana. The document underlines U.S. support for efforts by Macedonia, Albania and Croatia to join Euro-Atlantic institutions, including NATO.