ng Austria on his second foreign trip since he was sworn in last month, invited Austrian experts to participate in an assessment of the Bohunice and Mochovce plants as part of the drafting of an energy concept due by September. States wanting to join the EU have to ensure their nuclear power plants meet EU safety standards. But fiercely anti-nuclear Austria has taken a tougher line. It is threatening to prevent Slovakia from joining the fast track to EU membership unless it commits itself to closing the Soviet-era plant at Bohunice by 2003. The EU‘s executive body said it expected Slovakia to be admitted to formal talks on membership — alongside Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Estonia and Cyprus — at a summit in Helsinki in December. "I want to confirm that our intention is to join the first group at Helsinki," Schuster told reporters after talks with Austrian President Thomas Klestil. "I appreciate your efforts to achieve the highest possible safety standards, but we too are not interested in bringing on line plants which could threaten the people of Europe," Schuster said. Relations between Bratislava and Vienna deteriorated after Slovakia activated the first reactor at Mochovce in June. The Austrian government and environmentalists had called for a postponement, saying the plant was unsafe. Klestil said he hoped the EU and Slovakia would begin talks on membership after the Helsinki summit. Within the framework of those discussions, the EU would need to examine Slovak proposals for the closure of any plants which fell short on safety. Schuster, elected in late May when he defeated former populist-nationalist prime minister Vladimir Meciar, said relations with Austria were excellent but Slovakia would not be pressed into a rushed decision on Bohunice. "It would be a big mistake if politicians, under political pressure, decided to close the plant… I don‘t believe that our neighbours will block our (EU) integration." he said. Slovakia had pledged to shut down the oldest reactor at Bohunice by 2000 but recently reneged on its promise, citing economic reasons. The reactor, which was built in the 1970s and is just 60 km from the Austrian border, might now remain on line until 2012, according to Economy Minister Ludovit Cernak.