Conference on Albania’s integration into NATO

TIRANA, Feb. 16 – Friday the Defense Ministry held a conference titled “From Riga to Washington” concerning Albania’s efforts toward membership into the northern alliance. All top Albanian officials and those of NATO took part at the conference. The main goal of the conference was the process of reforms in the transformation of the armed forces and the exchange of ideas on Albania’s steps toward NATO membership. “Transformation is not only a change of the military structures,” said Defense Minister Fatmir Mediu, adding, “We consider defense transformation as a process based on three components closely linked to each other: development, defense reform and diplomacy.” “This is a decisive year for Albanian’s armed forces to go ahead in their objectives of transformation and deserve the invitation at NATO enlargement summit in 2008,” said Mediu.
Albania, Croatia and Macedonia signed a U.S.-backed agreement three years ago called the Adriatic Charter which outlines a common military strategy and promotes regional cooperation. They hope to be able to join NATO by 2008. Albania has troops in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq. It is negotiating sending another army unit in Lebanon. (Tirana Times Staff)