NATO expands

PRESIDENT George W Bush welcomed seven former communist nations into NATO, saying the 55-year old Western alliance would be strengthened because “tyranny for them is still a fresh memory”.

The expansion of the NATO to 26 members was celebrated as NATO signalled a willingness to play a military role in Iraq if authorised by a new US Security Council resolution.

Mr Bush welcomed the leaders of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.