Embassy Events
NATO Summit in Bucharest Affirms Missile Defense Cooperation and Membership Expansion
April 3, 2008
NATO members strengthened the Alliance with their decision April 3 to admit Albania and Croatia as new members. This step promises a new chapter for the Western Balkans and a more stable region, fully integrated into Euro-Atlantic institutions, and able to make a major contribution to international security. These countries have demonstrated a solid commitment to the basic principles set out in the Washington Treaty as well as their ability, and readiness, to protect freedom and NATO members’ shared values by contributing to the Alliance's collective defense and full range of missions. The Alliance also affirmed that missile defense will help counter the threat of ballistic missiles and recognized the substantial contribution to the protection of Allies that the planned deployment of European-based U.S. missile defense assets will provide. NATO members are exploring ways to link this capability with current NATO missile defense efforts as a way to ensure that it would be an integral part of any future NATO-wide missile defense architecture. NATO also expanded its global partnerships at the Bucharest Conference.