Albania, Slovenia and Croatia are NATO members, same as Italy, Hungary, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria and Romania in the surroundings. Montenegro and Macedonia have officially applied for membership. Serbia presently does not show interest in the membership of either NATO (it borders some of its members) or any other military alliance.

A very important role of NATO in the region has been established by or led to significant transformation of all regional countries’ defence policies.

Earlier strategies considered neighbouring countries as main sources of security challenges, risks and threats. Today the neighbours ever less the source of concern, as the Partnership for Peace and direct NATO membership are calming tensions and raising co-operation to an even higher level.

Other forms of security co-operation in the region are impossible, and statements that it would also be necessary to turn towards the East – namely Euro-Asian security integrations – are counter-productive: they resurrect old ghosts from the past, they divide the region, they polarise and they do not contribute to stabilisation of peace and reconciliation in the region.

The primary objective for security cooperation in the region should be the fight against terrorism and the organised crime, as well as preservation of peace. In the same vein, the co-operation based on exchange of scientific achievements in fields of energy, security and environmental safety would showcase the benefits of pooling resources and providing assistance for further dialogue and reconciliation.

For these reasons, the Adriatic Council will firmly stand for complete regional reconciliation, Euro-Atlantic integration and a strong regional anti-terrorist block as a firm barrier for all those views that aim to bring harm to the fragile peace and reconciliation.