Western Balkan defence ministers meet in Albania on their NATO integration efforts

TIRANA, Dec. 12 – Defence Ministers of the Adriatic 3 Charter countries and other Western Balkan countries gathered Tuesday in Tirana to discuss on their joint efforts toward NATO membership. The meeting titled ‘Together Toward 2008’ was organized by Albania, Croatia, Macedonia and the United States that three years ago signed the Adriatic 3 Charter, a U.S.-backed initiative outlining a common military strategy and promoting regional cooperation. A representative of NATO’s Secretary-General was also present. Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia were also participating as new members of the NATO Partnership for Peace program. The meeting discussed on promoting bilateral and multilateral political, defence and economic cooperation, and also how to intensify the fight against corruption, organized crime, terrorism, illicit trafficking of arms, drugs, human beings and other forms of trans-national crime. Discussions focused on promoting military, political and economic cooperation between the countries, as well as combating corruption and organized crime “to address fulfilling NATO standards,” according to the final statement. The Balkan countries agreed to hold more joint activities such as joint exercises, training of special forces, of helicopter pilots, diving and media training, and mutually evaluate units declared for NATO operations. The meeting commended the numerous activities that have forged close working relationships and friendships among personnel of the armed forces, according to a final statement. The ministers addressed efforts of the respective armed forces of Albania, Croatia and Macedonia to transform and meet NATO standards and repeated the desire to extend cooperation on important defence matters. The meeting agreed that contributions to multinational peace support operations are important to enhance interoperability with NATO. The three Adriatic 3 Charter countries have troops in Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Macedonia and Albania also have sent soldiers to Iraq. Albania is negotiating sending another army unit in Lebanon.
The ministers highly appreciated the “clear message of the (NATO) Riga Summit” confirming the alliance’s intention to extend invitation at its next 21008 enlargement summit to those countries that have met NATO’s performance based standards. “The Adriatic Charter countries restated the need for a strong commitment to meet those standards and to continue contributing to Euro-Atlantic security and stability,” said the statement.
The U.S.-Adriatic Charter initiative was considered as a useful mechanism to support the progress of the western Balkan countries in their participation in Partnership for Peace. The meeting congratulated the Riga summit decision to invite Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro to join the PfP and expressed their support to process that will strengthen peace and stability in the region. “The U.S.-Adriatic Charter Defense Ministerial confirmed the commitment of its member countries to undertake concrete steps to prepare Albania, Croatia and Macedonia to meet NATO performance based standards with the goal of receiving an invitation from the Alliance at the next Summit in 2008,” said the statement.