Albania, Croatia formally join NATO

WASHINGTON - Albania and Croatia have formally joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the US State Department said in a statement Wednesday.

The ambassadors of Croatia and Albania formally handed over the ‘instruments of accession’ during a ceremony at the state department.

Coming on the 60th anniversary of the alliance, Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha and Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader will be joining other NATO leaders at their annual summit in Strasbourg later this week.

The admittance of Croatia and Albania brings the NATO alliance to 28 members.