Madrid - Prosecutors at Spain's National Court on Friday requested the arrest of five suspected members of the militant Basque separatist group ETA on suspicion of exchanging information on military tactics with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

The whereabouts of the five were unknown. Press reports said they had fled to Cuba and Venezuela.

Documents seized from ETA and FARC provided evidence of the contacts and collaboration, the prosecutors said.

Valencia, Spain - Jose Lello, president of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) parliamentary assembly, on Friday urged the West to adopt a new strategy in Afghanistan.

Lello met the press at the start of the 54th annual meeting of the assembly, which was bringing together more than 300 delegates from 50 countries in Valencia, eastern Spain.

Madrid - The condition of Spanish golfer Severiano Ballesteros continues to improve three weeks after undergoing brain surgery for the third time within a month and could leave intensive care in the coming week, Madrid's La Paz hospital said Friday.

Ballesteros, 51, underwent a six-hour operation last month to alleviate pressure on his brain and also had a tracheotomy to help him breathe.

Madrid - Spain has invited the Czech Republic to form part of its delegation to Saturday's economic summit in Washington, government sources said Friday.

The invitation will allow Marek Mora, a deputy for the Czech vice-premier for European affairs, to attend plenary sessions, the sources said.

Spain found the Czech presence important given that Prague will hold the European Union presidency in the first half of 2009, the sources explained.

Mora was also due to attend the summit as an observer with the French delegation.

Valencia, Spain - Jose Lello, president of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) parliamentary assembly, on Friday urged the West to adopt a new strategy in Afghanistan.

Lello met the press at the start of the 54th annual meeting of the assembly, which was bringing together more than 300 delegates from 50 countries in Valencia, eastern Spain.

Barack Obama's election as US president was likely to lead to an increase of troops in Afghanistan, Lello said.