SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP) Macedonia, Croatia and Albania simulated a plane crash Wednesday to showcase a joint emergency medical team, the success of which the countries hope will boost their bids for NATO membership.

The Balkan countries were presenting the emergency team as ready to serve with Alliance peacekeepers in Afghanistan.

``This team has not yet been instructed to set out for Afghanistan, but we're ready,'' team coordinator Dr. Obrad Rosic said.

In 2003, the three signed the Adriatic 3 Charter, a U.S.-backed initiative in which they pledged to develop a common military strategy.

The medical team included doctors, technicians and ambulance drivers, and the crash was simulated in the Macedonian capital, Skopje.

``The exercise has been assessed as successful ... not only by Macedonian military representatives, but also by NATO,'' Rosic said.