Paris - French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said Thursday in Paris that Croatia should be able to join NATO as early as this spring.

"The prime minister is lobbying for Croatia to be able to take part in the NATO summit in Strasbourg and Kehl as an official member," a spokesman for Fillon said after the French prime minister had held talks with his Croatian counterpart, Ivo Sanader.

The summit is scheduled to take place April 3 and 4. In April 2008, NATO invited Croatia and Albania to open membership negotiations, which usually conclude in one or two years. (dpa)