Albania convinced to become a new NATO member country

TIRANA, Feb. 11 – Albanian authorities are increasingly optimistic that the April NATO summit in Bucharest will result in an invitation to become a member. Lat week, Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha took part in a conference on security held in Munich while Defense Minister Fatmir Mediu attended a NATO meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania. Following meeting with top NATO officials, including Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and ministers of the main western European countries and the United States, the two Albanian ministers said they expected the country to become a NATO member in April.
“Today we may say that the majority of the Alliance is convinced that Albania is absolutely on the right road and its continuation will be concluded only with a positive decision,” said Basha.
But the minister also mentioned that he had been told by NATO officials that the remaining weeks before the NATO summit must result in the consolidation of Albania’s achievements and steps taken to more even farther ahead.
Albania awaits for a NATO membership invitation along with Croatia and Macedonia, with which they have created the Adriatic 3 charter supported by Washington.
But NATO has made it clear there is still time prior to the summit and all the countries, including Albania, should continue the pace of reforms to complete membership requirements.
NATO has also said that each country will be individually evaluated based on its accomplishments.