The new Slovak prime minister, Mikulas Dzurinda, has had talks in Brussels about Slovakia's prospects for joining the European Union with the EU foreign Affairs Comissioner, Hans van den Broek.

Mr Van den Broek said afterwards that the Commission was confident the new Slovak government would show it could meet the economic and financial conditions for membership.

He said the EU would move quickly to earmark one-hundred-and-seventeen million dollars in economic and other aid for Slovakia this year.

But both Mr Van den Broek and Mr Dzurinda said it was difficult to fix a starting date for formal membership negotiations.

Slovakia was not invited to join six other countries in opening formal membership negotiations because of EU concern about democracy and human rights under the previous Slovak government of Vladimir Meciar.