Visegrad Four press for EU entry

The prime ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary are meeting at a castle near Prague to underline their cases for European Union membership.

The four countries -- known as the Visegrad Four -- hope their success in establishing a regional understanding will strengthen their bids for early EU entry.

A BBC correspondent in Prague says the group feels that the EU is losing interest in eastwards expansion.

He says there is frustration that no concrete entry-dates have been officially put forward.

At their meeting, the Visegrad ministers are expected to set up a joint cultural fund and discuss a common visa policy. The Czech Republic and Slovakia have introduced visas for Russians and Ukrainians in response to EU promptings but Poland and Hungary say visas will damage their trade.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service