Mediu visits Urakine

TIRANA, March 18 – Defense Minister Fatmir Mediu visited Ukraine March 16-17 to speak of bilteral military coopeartion and integrating processes into NATO. Both countries have hopes of joining NATO soon, likely in 2008. Albania got positive signals from the Riga NATO summit last year, according to Mediu. Ukrainaina Defense Minsiter Anatoli Grytsenko highly evalauted Albania’s constructive role in the Balkans and the leadership at the Southeast Defense Ministerial institution, where both countries are members. Both ministers stressed the need for intensification of their military relations, like cooperation in the peacekeeping missions and strategic studies. Mediu invited Ukrainian students at the Regional College on Security which is to be opened soon in Tirana.