Balkan defense ministers discuss NATO membership efforts

SOFIA, March 11 – Defense ministers from a number of Balkan countries convened Tuesday to discuss regional security issues and NATO’s planned enlargement with the Adriatic 3 Charter countries.
Participants said that a lasting stability and prosperity in the troubled region could be achieved by accelerating the integration of the region’s countries into the European Union and NATO, according to a statement.
Participating at the meeting were Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and Turkey, already NATO members, and Albania, Croatia and Macedonia which hope to be invited to join the alliance at its summit next month in Bucharest.
Greece has threatened to veto Macedonia’s accession bid due to a dispute over its northern neighbor’s name.
There is concern that this dispute could also negatively affect Albania’s candidacy. (Tirana Times Staff)