VZCZCXRO7078
OO RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHIK RUEHMT RUEHPOD RUEHQU RUEHVC RUEHYG
DE RUEHOT #0035 0142146
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 142146Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8991
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000035 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL MARR KTIA PARM HR AL CA
SUBJECT: CANADA RATIFIES NATO ACCESSION PROTOCOLS FOR ALBANIA AND 
CROATIA 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: On January 14, Canada announced its ratification of 
the protocols of accession to NATO for Albania and Croatia.  Foreign 
Minister Lawrence Cannon and Defence Minister Peter MacKay jointly 
noted that Canada's action would help move the two countries closer 
to membership in the alliance. End summary 
 
¶2. (U) Canada has been a strong supporter of the NATO membership 
goals of the two countries.  FM Cannon described Canada's 
ratification of the protocols as "the firmest expression of this 
support," which "sends a clear message that will inspire other NATO 
aspirant countries to continue on the path of integration and 
reform." 
 
 
¶3. (U) Both ministers also expressed Canada's support for NATO's 
Open Door Policy.  At the April 2008 Bucharest Summit committing 
NATO leaders to completing the ratification process without delay, 
then-FM David Emerson had described the accession of Albania and 
Croatia as constituting a "key success."  With these ratifications, 
FM Cannon reiterated that the accession of the new members 
"strengthens" Euro-Atlantic security and that a swift ratification 
by member countries would enable Albania and Croatia to participate 
as allies at the NATO Summit in Strasbourg-Kehl in April. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Comment:  In the apparent interest of swift ratification, 
the government side-stepped its own year-old policy of submitting 
such international agreements to the House of Commons for a 
twenty-one sitting day period of review or comment (but not formal 
ratification).  Parliament will not reconvene until January 26.  It 
is unlikely that there would have been any serious objection within 
the House of Commons to the ratification. 
WILKINS