NATO Summit: New Members to Join by May 2004

Prague, 21 November - By being among the seven states invited to join NATO, Slovenia is to begin an accession process that NATO leaders expect to result in membership for the invitees by May 2004 at the latest. The heads of state from the 19 NATO member states confirmed that enlargement would take place by the next Alliance summit in a joint communique given after the session of the North Atlantic Council in Prague on Thursday.