German Foreign Minister Mr Joschka Fischer gave assurances to his Polish counterpart Mr Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz yesterday that the enlargement of the European Union would go ahead as scheduled, with Poland and nine other countries joining in 2004.
"We will keep to the calendar," Mr Fischer said after talks with Mr Cimoszewicz in Berlin.
But he said the current 15 member-states had yet to agree on a common position on some of the last obstacles to EU enlargement, saying he hoped for a compromise with France on crucial agricultural reforms at a summit in Brussels later this week.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Mr Guenter Verheugen voiced concern earlier yesterday over the prospect of an agreement on how to finance the bloc's expansion. He said Paris and Berlin would have to redouble their efforts to reach a deal.
"I hope a compromise can be reached in Brussels," said Mr Verheugen, "but I'm not sure of it - there are still big uncertainties."