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Adriatic Charter Reinforces U.S. Support for NATO "Open Door"

Charter members Albania, Croatia, Macedonia to meet in April

The U.S. Department of State issued a fact sheet April 10 on the Adriatic Charter, a pact signed by former Secretary of State Colin Powell and the foreign ministers of Albania, Croatia and Macedonia on May 2, 2003.

The initiative was proposed jointly by the presidents of Albania, Croatia and Macedonia to President Bush at the NATO Prague Summit in November 2002. The charter reinforces continued U.S. support for the alliance's "Open Door," underscoring the goal of fully integrating Albania, Croatia and Macedonia into Euro-Atlantic institutions. (See related article.)

The fact sheet states that the foreign ministers of the Adriatic Charter members most recently met in Washington, in February, along with representatives from Serbia-Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Another meeting is being planned for April 2006 in Brijuni, Croatia, which would also include the foreign and defense ministers of the Baltic countries.

This fact sheet updates a fact sheet published on August 16, 2005.

Following is the fact sheet:

U.S. Department of State
Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs
Washington, DC
FACT SHEET
ADRIATIC CHARTER

Secretary of State Colin Powell, together with his colleagues, Foreign Ministers Meta, Picula and Mitreva, signed the Adriatic Charter in Tirana, Albania, May 2, 2003. The Adriatic Charter, an initiative in the spirit of the 1998 U.S.-Baltic Charter, was proposed jointly by the Presidents of Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia to President Bush at the NATO Prague Summit in November 2002.

President Bush welcomed the Adriatic initiative as a strong contribution toward his vision of a Europe whole, free, and at peace. The Charter builds on the achievements of the NATO Prague Summit by reinforcing continued U.S. support for the Alliance's "Open Door," underscoring the goal of Albania's, Croatia's, and Macedonia's eventual full integration into NATO and other Euro-Atlantic institutions.

The Charter:

· Underlines Albania's, Croatia's, and Macedonia's dedication to strengthening their individual and cooperative efforts to intensify domestic reforms that enhance the security, prosperity and stability of the region.

· Highlights the tremendous accomplishments of Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia on the path of Euro-Atlantic integration, outlines areas of continuing focus, and reiterates the intention of the United States to continue assisting the countries in implementing necessary reforms. Notes also that each aspirant country will be judged individually on its progress toward meeting standards for membership in Euro-Atlantic bodies.

· Reaffirms the parties' shared political commitment to strengthen democratic institutions, civil society, rule of law, market economies, and NATO-compatible militaries; to fight corruption and crime; and to protect human rights and civil liberties for all individuals in Albania, Croatia, Macedonia and the other countries of southeast Europe.

· Promotes the stability and Euro-Atlantic integration of all the countries of southeast Europe by bolstering political, defense, and economic cooperation among the partners and between them and their neighbors.

The Adriatic Charter members' Foreign Ministers most recently met in Washington, D.C. in February 2006, along with representatives from Serbia and Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Another meeting is being planned for April 2006 in Brijuni, Croatia, which would also include the Foreign and Defense Ministers of the Baltic countries. In August 2005, the Adriatic Charter sent a joint 12-person medical team to ISAF [International Security Assistance Force] in Afghanistan, stationed in Kabul. This was the first such international mission the Adriatic Charter members conducted jointly.

Source: U.S. Department of State

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