NATO foreign ministers met Thursday to discuss plans to offer membership to three Balkan nations and closer ties to others in an effort to promote stability in the region in the wake of Kosovo’s declaration of independence.

The meeting was also expected to focus on Afghanistan, where ministers will review a “vision statement” to be adopted by NATO leaders at a summit next month. The statement is aimed at redefining the West’s goals against the Taliban and strengthening Europe’s flagging public support for the war.

Flying into Brussels Wednesday before the talks, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice suggested an announcement was close on the nomination of an international envoy for Afghanistan to coordinate military and civilian efforts to support the Afghan government.

The idea, supported by the U.S. and European allies, has been on hold since the Afghans rejected the proposed nomination of British diplomat Lord Paddy Ashdown.

Diplomats at NATO headquarters said there was broad support for the membership bids by Albania, Croatia and Macedonia, but warned the plan could be sunk by continued Greek objections to Macedonia’s name.

Greece says the name of the republic that broke away from Yugoslavia in 1991 implies a claim on its northern region also called Macedonia. Athens has threatened to veto Macedonia’s NATO aspirations and U.N.-led talks are under way to find a solution.

Rice was cautious on the prospects of nations seeking closer ties with NATO.

“When countries are ready for these various stages ... NATO ought to have an open door to them,” she told reporters traveling with her to Brussels from the Middle East. “We’re going to take a decision with our allies at the summit.”

The governments of Ukraine and Georgia also are hoping next month’s Bucharest summit will offer them a road map to NATO membership, despite strong Russian opposition. NATO spokesman James Appathurai stressed Russia did not have the right to veto any expansion of the alliance to include its former Soviet neighbors.

“Everybody is well aware of the regional context of the membership aspirations of Georgia and Ukraine, but ... no outside party will have an influence on that process,” Appathurai told reporters.

However, several NATO allies are wary such a move will lead to a further deterioration of relations with Moscow that already are strained by differences over Kosovo, missile defense plans and arms control in Europe.

Senior NATO diplomats said they expected NATO to delay any decision on opening up to Ukraine and Georgia, especially since they are hoping talks with President Vladimir Putin in Bucharest could help smooth over differences with Moscow.

On Afghanistan, the strategy document is expected to set out plans for better coordinating the military action by NATO’s 43,000 troops and civilian efforts to rebuild the country and support the government of President Hamid Karzai. He is expected to attend the summit

By setting out clear objectives and stressing the importance of preventing a revival of the Taliban that could again turn Afghanistan into a haven for international terrorism, NATO is hoping to boost flagging public support for the military mission, particularly in Europe.

NATO planners hope that will make it easier for European governments to commit troops to the operation, easing disputes between the United States, Canada, Britain and other nations with combat units on the front lines and those like Germany, France and Turkey, which have limited their deployment to more peaceful parts of the country.

Rice said she was “hopeful” that allies will contribute the 1,000 additional troops Canada has demanded to help it in southern Afghanistan.

___

Associated Press writer Anne Gearan contributed to his report.