Brussels welcome for new Nato members

2 April 2004

BRUSSELS – Seven new countries were formally welcomed into Nato on Friday during a ceremony at the military alliance’s Brussels headquarters.

The flags of the seven states – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia – were hoisted in front of the organisation’s headquarters in the presence of Nato’s 26 existing foreign ministers.

After the celebrations, the foreign ministers held informal talks.

The Brussels ceremony follows similar celebrations in Washington on Monday, when US President George W. Bush formally welcomed the new Nato states into the alliance.

Five years ago Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic joined the alliance.

Since the end of the Cold War Nato has been working hard to define a new role for itself.

Subject: Belgian news