United States signs charter with Baltic states

The United States has signed a charter with three Baltic republics, bringing them a step closer to the NATO alliance.

The document was signed in the White House by President Clinton and leaders of the three Baltic states, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

The charter offers no security guarantees, merely reiterating NATO's decision that the three states should be recognised as potential members of the alliance.

Russia, which remains opposed to the Baltic states joining NATO, has offered them security guarantees, but these have been refused.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service