Government heads from Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia will discuss "NATO's transformation in the context of new security risks in the Euro-Atlantic area", according to a government statement issued on Wednesday.

They will also tackle how "new members can contribute to the alliance's cohesion and efficiency".

All seven nations have sided with the US position on Iraq and are due to enter the military alliance in May 2004 at the earliest.

Canada last week became the first country to ratify the eastern and central European countries' admission.

SPACE.WIRE