Bush Signs NATO Accession Protocols for Albania
TIRANA, Albania Oct. 25 2008 - Albania has welcomed Saturday the signing of the protocol on its accession to NATO by U.S. President George W. Bush, saying it has a historic signification this small western Balkans. U.S. President George Bush in Washington yesterday signed the Memorandum of integration of these two states within the Atlantic Alliance. But the tenant of the White House has also raised other accessions much discussed within the organization: “Today I reiterate the commitment of American aspirations of Ukraine, Georgia, the Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro to join NATO. The door to membership remains open to the people of Serbia if it chooses this path. All those nations cherish the blessings of liberty because they remember the suffering of tyranny.
Ukraine and Georgia, apple of discord within NATO. No question of granting them the immediate status of candidate say some members like France and Germany. Both countries had given voice at the last summit of the Alliance in Bucharest in April. Objective: not to fuel tensions with Russia. The war of August in Georgia has only confirmed the fears of Paris and Berlin. The Foreign Ministers of the Alliance will meet in early December in Brussels to discuss it. “The signing of this protocol by Bush is in itself a major evaluation of the achievements of Albania, and it also represents for our country an enormous responsibility to continue,” said Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha during a press conference.
Mr. Bush Friday signed documents concerning the accession of Albania and Croatia, NATO, a measure that allows the two Balkan countries to take a further step to become full members of the expanding military alliance. Albania and Croatia were invited to join NATO at the alliance summit in Bucharest, Romania, in early April. The two countries will be admitted to NATO when all 26 allies have ratified the accession protocols were signed in Brussels in July.