1.   The alliance summit in Spain, where invitations to apply for NATO membership are to be issued to former Soviet-bloc nations, opens a month from Sunday.

2.   An alliance summit in Madrid, Spain, is expected to select in July east and central European states most fit to join it.

3.   At the alliance summit in Madrid this weekend, Italy and France unsuccessfully pushed for Romania and Slovenia to be accepted.

4.   Bulgaria expects to receive an invitation to join NATO at the alliance summit later this year.

5.   Bulgaria hopes to join NATO at the alliance summit in November along with six other candidates from eastern and central Europe.

6.   Bulgaria hopes to receive an invitation to join NATO at an alliance summit later this year.

7.   Bulgaria hopes to receive an invitation to join NATO at an alliance summit in November.

8.   Elsewhere in the Balkans, Romania and Bulgaria hope to get the nod to join NATO at the alliance summit in Prague.

9.   Forbes also said Bulgaria stands a good chance of joining NATO this coming November at an alliance summit in Prague.

10.   He said he hoped to start building such relations before a July alliance summit in Madrid.