11.   Other former East bloc nations are making much larger contributions.

12.   Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic this week become the first former Soviet bloc nations to join NATO.

13.   Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary are the first former Soviet bloc nations to be offered NATO membership, pending U.S. Senate approval.

14.   A number of former East bloc nations are hoping to join soon after.

15.   After decades of domination by Russia, Poland and other former Soviet bloc nations are eager to join NATO and come under its security blanket.

16.   Afterwards, Albright met to congratulate the foreign ministers of the three former Eastern bloc nations.

17.   All five countries involved are former East bloc nations now negotiating EU membership.

18.   Bonn fears instability and more refugees if the former Soviet bloc nations are not brought in.

19.   Both organizations have agreed in principle to open up to the former East bloc nations.

20.   But Germany has linked its contribution to a recalculation of EU spending in favor of the former Communist bloc nations who are not candidates for EU membership.