Macedonia sees '08 NATO invite, seeks '12 EU entry

BRUSSELS, Oct 27 (Reuters) Macedonia expects an invitation in 2008 to join NATO and hopes to gain entry to the European Union in 2012, the former Yugoslav republic's foreign minister said today.

''We expect it to be mentioned that 2008 will be the year of further enlargement for NATO,'' Antonio Milososki said after meeting alliance officials, referring to conclusions of a NATO summit to be held in Latvia's capital, Riga, on November 28 and 29.

He told reporters in Brussels that Macedonia was looking to start accession talks with the EU in 2007 or early 2008, and that such negotiations could be completed in five years.

A NATO official said no decision had been taken but noted the alliance was looking to issue an encouraging signal to Macedonia, Albania and Croatia -- three Balkan countries left out of NATO's 2004 enlargement.

''It's likely that we will say at the Riga summit that one or more countries will be invited in 2008 or the following years.

But there is no agreement yet among NATO nations,'' said the NATO official, who asked not to be identified.

''The issue of a date will likely be left to the last minute,'' he said.

Milososki said he had met NATO officials and ambassadors from several NATO nations including the United States, Britain, Italy, France, Germany and Spain.

He said they had urged his country to show concrete results in the fight against corruption, completing defence reforms and strengthening the rule of law.

Reuters PDM RN1606