NATO Secretary-General says security situation in the Balkans is positive

The security situation in the Balkans is positive and extremism has been marginalised in nearly all countries in the region, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said Thursday evening (June 28th) at the opening of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council Security Forum in Ohrid. He urged authorities to remain on alert however, adding that Euro-Atlantic integration efforts would be the main engine for regional progress. De Hoop Scheffer said he is satisfied with the progress made by the three Adriatic charter countries – Albania, Croatia and Macedonia — and indicated all three would be invited to join NATO during the summit next year in Bucharest. He also said NATO is ready to invest significantly in relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia.