Leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO member countries have agreed to invite Croatia and Albania to join the alliance. But the chances of Ukraine and Georgia's applications for NATO's membership action plan or MAP remain small.
CRI Reporter Chen Xi has the details.

Reporter:

The agreement was reached at an informal dinner of the NATO heads of state and government.

Albanian Prime Minister, Sali Berisha, said the NATO invitation is of great significance for the country, particularly in terms of economy.

"NATO invitation definitely is the best possible that Albanians have ever had, and that it's also a high credential for faster EU integration, it's a very high credential for investors to come and invest in my country, because they'll feel more secure for their investment and their future. That's why it's of excellent importance for Albania."

But NATO spokesman James Appathurai said the accession talks will start de facto the next day.

In addition, he also said that leaders have not reached consensus on admitting Georgia and Ukraine.

"The general sense was that membership action plan for Georgia and Ukraine is not a matter of whether, but of when. That was a shared sense around the table."

All the 26 allies must agree for the expansion plan to move forward.

Appathurai said Georgia and Ukraine are in principle eligible to apply for NATO memberships. But a Membership Action Plan does not mean guaranteed membership.

NATO launched the action plan in 1999 to help aspiring countries meet NATO standards and prepare for possible future membership.

The leaders also reiterated that there is no veto by third parties, in reference to opposition by Russia.

Russia has warned that NATO membership for the two former Soviet republics would bring instability in the region.

Leaders from 26 member states convened in Bucharest, capital of Romania, to discuss issues concerning NATO enlargement and its role in Afghanistan.

Chen Xi, CRI News