NATO expansion may be accelerated (07/12/98)

NATO expansion may be accelerated

RFE/RL Newsline

WARSAW - Polish Defense Minister Janusz Onyszkiewicz said on July 1 that Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic may be admitted to NATO earlier than planned in order to allow Russian President Boris Yeltsin to attend the alliance's 50th anniversary celebrations in Washington, Reuters reported.

Because of Moscow's ardent opposition to NATO expansion, Mr. Onyszkiewicz said it would be difficult for President Yeltsin to attend the April 26 summit if formal accession ceremonies took place at that time.

The Polish newspaper Zycie suggested that the aspiring countries could be admitted as early as January.