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New Nato members vow to stay in Iraq

AFP, Brussels
Ex-communist countries newly enrolled in Nato vowed yesterday to keep their troops in Iraq, while calling for greater international involvement to restore stability to the shattered nation.
Romanian Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana said it was high time for transatlantic divisions over the war in Iraq, which last year plunged the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) into its worst-ever crisis, to be put aside.
"We have a fundamental interest... to have Iraq become as soon as possible a self-governing, democratic, more prosperous and gradually more stable nation," he told a news conference after a ceremony here for the seven new Nato states.
"All of us, the countries that have suffered under communist dictatorship, have not only a strategic necessity to stabilise Iraq for the sake of the broader region, but also a moral obligation to assist this nation," he added.
Of the seven new Nato members -- Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia -- all except Slovenia have deployed troops to support the US-led occupation of Iraq.
Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passi said: "I strongly support what my Romanian friend and colleague said.
"Indeed we are for much stronger international support in Iraq -- we would support a much stronger Nato commitment in Iraq, we would support a much stronger UN com-
mitment in Iraq," he said.
Slovak Foreign Minister Eduard Kukan, asked whether his own country would stay the course in Iraq, replied emphatically: "Yes, sir."
Following yesterday morning's welcome ceremony, US Secretary of State Colin Powell and other Nato foreign ministers were expected to discuss giving the alliance a formal peacekeeping role in Iraq.
Eighteen of the 26 Nato nations have, individually, already deployed troops.
But countries such as France and Germany, which opposed the US-led war, have stressed that another resolution at the United Nations Security Council will be needed before they can consider joining a Nato mission in Iraq.
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Earlier yesterday, Nato celebrated the entry of seven ex-communist countries into its ranks at a colourful welcome marking the US-led military alliance's biggest expansion ever.
But serious business awaited foreign ministers of the now-26-nation alliance in talks with an irate Russia, which has made no secret of its anger at Nato's expansion up to its borders.
In the courtyard of Nato's Brussels headquarters, the flags of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia were raised and their national anthems played by a military band.
The foreign ministers of the seven entrants looked proudly on from a raised podium, in front of representatives from the existing members -- including US Secretary of State Colin Powell.
The new members formally joined Nato on Monday when they deposited their accession treaties in Washington, opening a new chapter for an alliance long defined by its Cold War role.