NATO hopefuls quietly confident

The upbeat mood was in evidence at the close of a two day conference in the Latvian capital, Riga. Candidate countries will not know for sure if they have been accepted, however, until NATO's decision is announced at a summit in Prague in November. And via video link, Czech President Vaclav Havel extended an early welcome to those hoping to hear good news. With Latvia's Eurovision Song Contest winner on hand to provide the entertainment, delegates relaxed after hours of tough talking on how best to live up to NATO entry conditions. Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are among the front-runners expected to fit the bill, alongside Slovenia, Bulgaria and Romania.