NATO welcomed Croatia and Albania today as the 27th and 28th members of the NATO, after their ambassadors filed their instruments of accession with the US government.

Croatian Ambassador in USA Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and Albanian Ambassador Aleksander Sallabanda represented their countries at the ceremony in Washington – State Department hosted by US Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg.

"This is very welcome news" NATO spokesman James Appathurai said. "Croatia and Albania have worked very hard to meet alliance standards with regard to democracy. They will now benefit from collective security the alliance offers, but they will also bear the responsibility that collective security requires’’.

A flag-raising ceremony marking the accession of Albania and Croatia will be held at NATO Headquarters in Bruxelles on April 7th 2009.

NATO | NET.HR