PRAGUE -- The Czech parliament gave the go-ahead for seven former Communist bloc countries to join the NATO military alliance.

The vote by the upper house Senate confirms a vote by the lower house in July authorising Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia to join NATO, probably at the alliance's next summit in May 2004, AFP reported.

Of the 64 senators present for the vote, 60 voted in favor, while two communist senators voted against and two other communists abstained.

The Czech Republic itself joined the military alliance in March 1999, at the same time as Hungary and Poland.