A3 countries still unsure of NATO membership invitation

TIRANA, March 10 – Last week, NATO nations increased pressure on Greece to allow Macedonia to join the alliance, which seems the main problem to be settled before the NATO summit in Bucharest next month.
Separately, NATO foreign ministers agreed in principle to invite Croatia and Albania to join the bloc at an alliance summit in April, but a cloud remained over Macedonia’s bid as Greece threatened to block it due to a row over its name. That does not mean that Albania is assured of a membership invitation, something that is expected to be offered to Croatia, the other contender.
Albania, Macedonia and Croatia hope to be invited to join NATO at an alliance summit next month. But Greece has threatened to veto Macedonia’s entry because of the dispute.
Greece says the name of Macedonia, which broke away from Yugoslavia in 1991, implies a claim to the Greek northern region with the same name.
NATO nations said that excluding Macedonia from NATO could add to instability in the Balkan region, which is already tense over Kosova’s recent independence from Serbia.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the U.S. hoped an agreement could be found during the talks so that countries that meet NATO’s requirements could be admitted to the alliance.
Although new NATO members in eastern Europe backed the former Soviet republics, Germany, France and others expressed concern about further antagonizing Moscow when relations are already strained over Kosova, missile defense and arms control in Europe.
Diplomats said there was a general consensus that NATO should go ahead and issue invitations to Croatia and Albania even if Macedonia’s request was blocked.
If Albania, Croatia and Macedonia receive the invitation in Bucharest, it’s expected to take at least two years before they join NATO.(Tirana Times Staff)