NATO leaders have agreed to invite Croatia and Albania to join the alliance, NATO spokesman James Appathurai said in Bucharest on Wednesday.

"There is consensus for two of the three countries to be offered invitations to begin accession talks starting tomorrow," said the spokesman.

The agreement was reached at an informal dinner of the NATO heads of state and government on Wednesday night.

For the third aspirant country, Macedonia, the leaders hoped that it can be invited as soon as possible given the fact that Greece, a NATO ally, has made clear that it will veto the invitation unless Macedonia changes its official name.

He said the Greek delegation made very clear on Tuesday night that Macedonia's accession to NATO would be impossible before the settlement of the name dispute.

Greece fears that the former Yugoslav republic's constitutional name -- Republic of Macedonia -- implies territorial ambition for the neighboring northern Greek province of Macedonia. But Skopje has refused to exchange its official name for NATO membership.

On Ukraine and Georgia's application for NATO's membership action plan (MAP), Appathurai said chances are small for them to be given this status at the summit.

"I am happy to be proven wrong. But for the moment, I do not expect membership action plan for Georgia and Ukraine," he told reporters.

The leaders reaffirmed NATO's "open door" policy and were of the view that MAP for the two countries is a matter not of whether, but of when, said the spokesman.

"They are in principle eligible to apply for NATO membership and to be considered for NATO membership," said Appathurai, adding that MAP does not mean guaranteed membership.

The leaders also reiterated that there is no veto by third parties, apparently in reference to opposition by Russia.

Russia has warned that NATO membership for the two former Soviet republics would bring instability in the region.

(Xinhua News Agency April 3, 2008)