The trilateral initiative between Kosovo, Albania, and Croatia for cooperation in defense and security is “open to EU and NATO allies and partners who wish to contribute to building stability, security, and resilience in the Southeast European region,” the Croatian Government said in a statement for Radio Free Europe.

Unlike Albania and Croatia, Kosovo is not a member of NATO.

Following the signing of the declaration on March 18, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić claimed that the agreement had launched an “arms race in the region” and violated a 1996 sub-regional arms control agreement.

That agreement involved the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina – the Federation and Republika Srpska – as well as Croatia and the then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (comprising Serbia and Montenegro).

In its statement to Radio Free Europe, the Croatian Government emphasized that the 1996 agreement has been respected for 29 years, but noted that neither Albania nor Kosovo are parties to that accord.

“In this context, it is entirely irrelevant to link the recent joint declaration between Albania, Croatia, and Kosovo to that agreement. The primary purpose of the declaration is to strengthen cooperation between the defense ministries of friendly countries, partners, and allies,” the Croatian Government said.