71.   It is one of about a dozen East European nations seeking membership in NATO and the European Union.

72.   It has already opened its own trade mission in Washington and indicated it would seek independent membership in the International Monetary Fund.

73.   Italian President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro praised Lithuania on Tuesday for maintaining good ties with Russian while seeking membership in NATO and the European Union, news reports said.

74.   Kiev has been shifting toward Europe as NATO expansion has drawn nearer, replacing pledges of neutrality to indications they may eventually seek NATO membership.

75.   Klaus Haensch attended a one-day meeting of parliament speakers from eastern European countries seeking membership in the union.

76.   Kuchma stressed Thursday that Ukraine currently has no intention of joining the CIS collective security pact, known as the Tashkent Agreement, or of seeking NATO membership.

77.   Like other former Warsaw Pact members, it seeks full membership.

78.   Many of them are seeking EU membership.

79.   Migration and Asylum Minister Maj-Inger Klingvall suggested expanding that unity to the dozen nations that are seeking EU membership.

80.   Moscow has tried to dissuade Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia from seeking NATO membership by offering them security guarantees.