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NATO hopefuls expect invite in 2006

ZAGREB, Croatia, March 30 (UPI) -- The leaders of Croatia, Macedonia and Albania said Wednesday they expected to be invited to join NATO in 2006.

Speaking in the Croatian capital of Zagreb, the prime ministers of the three countries, known as the Adriatic 3, said their invitation and subsequent accession to NATO would help bring stability to the region and would also open the prospect for other Balkan countries to join.

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Croatia, Macedonia and Albania signed the Adriatic Charter in May 2003, hoping to improve the chances of each being admitted to NATO by working collectively toward that aim.

Last year seven former communist countries joined NATO, bringing the number of members to 26.

NATO officials say the Adriatic 3 will need to make great progress in domestic reforms.

Although Croatia is widely seen as the most advanced of the three countries, NATO is adamant its accession prospects are directly linked to Zagreb's willingness to cooperate with the International War Crimes tribunal in The Hague.

Croatia's bid to join the European Union was recently put on ice due to the country's failure to find and hand over General Ante Gotovina, who has been indicted for war crimes.

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