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NATO formally invites Croatia, Albania to join |
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20:06, April 03, 2008 |
NATO Thursday formally invited Croatia and Albania to join the alliance.
Leaders of Albania and Croatia were ushered in to a meeting of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) by NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.
"Welcome. We are very glad to have you with us," de Hoop Scheffer said in a speech. He said NATO's enlargement has expanded its "sphere of security."
U.S. President George W. Bush, in his capacity as dean of NAC, said NATO's embracing of new members will make Europe stronger and freer.
He regretted the lack of consensus among NATO leaders on the invitation to Macedonia to join the alliance.
He asked the name dispute between Macedonia and Greece to be solved quickly so that Macedonia can be invited soon.
Macedonia's failure to be invited is a blow to Bush, who had pushed strongly for the admission of all three countries. Source: Xinhua
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