News of Radio Prague

NATO invites seven former Eastern Bloc nations to join in landmark expansion

NATO leaders in Prague for the two-day NATO summit have made a historic decision to invite seven former Eastern Bloc nations to join the alliance in a landmark expansion. The new members - Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia - will be admitted to the alliance in 2004. NATO Secretary General George Robertson called the invitation a "crucially important decision". The Czech President Vaclav Havel has welcomed the historic move:

"The alliance's decision to open itself once again to the new European democracies signifies that the unnatural division of Europe has come to an end in real terms and that the last surviving remnant of the Iron Curtain, that strange psychological wall that used to separate the old democracies from the post-communist ones, is finally breaking down."

Leaders of newly invited nations welcome historic move

The Polish President Alexander Kwasniewski has said the day will "become history". Slovakia's Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda has responded to the NATO invitation by saying it was a "milestone" for his country on its road to long-term democracy. The Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus has said the invitation by NATO to join the alliance represented a "big day" for his country, adding he was certain Lithuanians everywhere would be pleased. Bulgaria's Prime Minister Simeon Sackskoburggotski has told the Bulgarian national radio that joining NATO "will be among the most significant events for Bulgaria in the 21st century". The Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel has said the invitation for Slovenia represents international acknowledgement of the progress made by the former communist entity.

NATO agrees to create anti-terror Response Force

NATO leaders have agreed to create a rapid Response Force which is expected to be used in global anti-terror missions and operations against so-called rogue states. In a statement, leaders of the 19 NATO states said the new force with land, sea and air power would have initial operating capability by 2004 and be fully operational by 2006. The statement did not say how many troops would be in the force but the figure of 20,000 had been proposed by the United States. NATO's Response Force (NRF) will consist of "a technologically advanced, flexible, deployable, interoperable and sustainable" elements, said the statement.

NATO leaders back UN efforts to disarm Iraq

The leaders of NATO member countries have agreed to back UN efforts to disarm Iraq but the alliance, divided over the prospect of an eventual conflict, stopped well short of suggesting any collective action. "NATO allies stand united in their commitment to take effective action to assist and support the efforts of the UN to ensure full and immediate compliance by Iraq, without conditions or restrictions," an alliance communiqué issued at the summit said.

No major incidents reported from anti-NATO protest

Riot police on Thursday rebuffed about 1,500 anti-war demonstrators who temporarily blocked access to the Congress Centre where dozens of presidents, ministers and military leaders were attending the NATO summit. No violence was reported, but at least three demonstrators were detained during the four-hour march through the streets of Prague. The demonstrators marched from nearby streets and squares towards Nuselsky Bridge leading to the Congress Centre. They stood chanting and waving banners for more than an hour across the span from the Congress Centre summit site.

The police, equipped with water cannons and riot gear, stood in front of the bridge until the protesters gave up and marched away. The demonstration was the largest since a coalition of groups called AntiNATO started protests on Tuesday, but far below organisers' expectations. They hoped 10,000 people would rally in Prague, but many would-be protesters from other European countries were turned away at the Czech border.

Kuchma arrives in Prague

The Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma has arrived at Prague's Ruzyne airport to take part in the meeting of NATO and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council on Friday. The alliance had made it clear that Mr Kuchma was not welcome at the Prague summit due to suspicions that Ukraine had sold a radar system to Iraq. Last week, the Czech government refused to grant an entry visa to the Belarussian President, Alexander Lukashenko, who had wished to attend the summit.

Kazakhstan defence minister's plane forced down by US jets

A plane carrying Kazakhstan's defence minister was intercepted by US fighter jets over the Czech Republic and forced to land on Wednesday night, Czech officials said on Thursday. The minister, General Mukhtar Altynbayev, was en route to Prague for the NATO summit when the incident occurred. A Czech Foreign Ministry spokesman said that due to "technical problems with communication" the plane was forced to land at an airport in Pardubice, about 100 kilometres east of Prague. About 90 minutes after landing, the plane was allowed take off again to continue its flight to Prague. Under an agreement between Prague and Washington, US fighter jets are protecting Czech airspace during the NATO meeting.

Weather

Friday should be cloudy with isolated showers and daytime temperatures reaching highs of 11 degrees Celsius.