Brussels - NATO foreign ministers tried again to overcome Turkey's concerns over cementing the Atlantic alliance's relations with the European Union, with no apparent success.
A short meeting prior to the start of a Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council meeting with 27 peers from nonNATO nations, among them the Russian Foreign Minister, Mr Igor Ivanov, broke with no news of a decision.
Observers expected the issue will remain on hold, despite a US desire to get at least a basic framework for EU-NATO relations in place before president-elect George W. Bush takes office next month.