Basha at NATO meetings

TIRANA, March 24 – Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha has taken part in two meetings destined for Albania as a future NATO member country.
First he was at the 13th National Conference of the National Association of the Northern Atlantic. Basha said that the application of the Albania’s SAA application April 1, Kosova’s independence have been the greatest events for the tiny Balkan country.
“After that we can all see safely into our European future,” he said.
Basha added that Albania’s future NATO membership, expected at the next NATO summit April 3-4 that is also to celebrate its 60th anniversary, would increase security in the Balkan region.
“Never before the security in our region has been this high as nowadays and the prospects for long-term peace and development are so touchable,” he said.
The expected accession of Croatia and Albania at next month’s NATO summit in Strasbourg and Kehl is viewed as a success for the entire region.
Basha also took part at a meeting of the Adriatic-Baltic-Atlantic grouping held in Riga, Latvia. The meeting is organized with foreign ministers of the three Baltic countries, the Adriatic 3 (now made 5) member countries and also a senior US official.
The meeting, involving Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Albania, Bosnia, Croatia and Macedonia along with representatives of the US state department and the Montenegrin foreign ministry, is being held under the banner of the “Adriatic-Baltic-Atlantic” partnership.
The meeting discussed on the issues of security in the western Balkans and also strengthening of the cooperation among its countries that all aim at becoming NATO and EU member countries in the future.
Eastern European foreign ministers congratulated Albania and Croatia “on their imminent accession” to NATO.
Basha told reporters that regional cooperation had transformed the western Balkans.
“This open door policy is a success. It has seen a region consumed by strife turned into an exporter of security,” he said, referring to the region’s troop commitments to NATO in Afghanistan.
“We also look forward to the day when Kosovo and Serbia can join us,” Basha said.
Other countries were also mentioned as potential members of the European Union and NATO.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Vygaudas Usackas said a Europe “whole and free” could not exist while the western Balkan countries, Georgia and Ukraine were excluded.
Albania and Croatia are expected to become NATO’s 27th and 28th members at the Alliance summit next week. The meeting — which will mark the bloc’s 60th anniversary — will be held in Strasbourg-Kehl on April 3rd and 4th.
Albania will be represented by President Bamir Topi and Prime Minster Sali Berisha. US President Barack Obama is also expected to attend.
In 2003, Albania, Croatia and Macedonia launched a common initiative called the Adriatic Charter Group, encouraged by the United States. However, Macedonia was blocked from joining the Alliance in 2008 when Greece vetoed the country’s accession progress due to the ongoing name dispute.
Both Croatia and Albania, however, have made great strides on their path towards Alliance accession. The countries set their top priorities to meet democratic standards, reduce corruption and fight organized crime, implement judicial reform, improve public administration and promote neighborly relations.
NATO member countries monitor the envisaged reforms and evaluate their implementation.
Albania joined the North Atlantic Co-operation Council in 1992, and became a PfP member in 1994. Soon afterwards Albania presented a plan for military co-operation and reforms. The country has developed a small and well-trained 16,000-troop army that is in line with the Alliance requirements.
Albanian troops have also participated in different NATO-led operations, with more than 3,300 troops in different missions since 1996. Albanian forces have participated in the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Bosnia, ISAF in Afghanistan and the mission led by the US coalition in Iraq.
NATO accession has wide support from the Albanian population. Official polls say that 94% of Albanians support Alliance membership. Many see entering the NATO structure as a medium to improve the country’s standing in the world.