EU: Turkey has rejected a call from the European Commission for a "gesture" on Cyprus in advance of next week's summit in Brussels, which will decide if Ankara should start negotiations to join the EU.
A spokesman for Turkey's Prime Minister, Mr Tayyip Erdogan, said there would be no further step on Cyprus before next week's meeting.
Turkey has 35,000 soldiers stationed in the northern part of the island and does not recognise the Greek Cypriot state, which joined the EU in May. A spokeswoman for the Commission President, Mr José Manuel Barroso, said that he expected a positive outcome for Turkey at next week's summit.
"President Barroso explained to Prime Minister Erdogan the difficulties there were existing with certain member-states and with certain public opinions," she said.
The Cypriot President, Mr Tassos Papadopoulos, yesterday dismissed speculation that his country could veto Turkey's bid to start EU membership talks unless its demands were met.
"Nobody in Europe is speaking of a veto. Have you heard any country in Europe speak of a veto? They are speaking of the conditions which must be imposed on Turkey to become a member," he said.
Turkey wants negotiations as soon as possible next year and insists there should be no extra conditions. Conservatives in some EU countries want to offer Ankara a "privileged partnership" with the EU rather than full membership.
Next week's summit is likely to set a date for talks at the end of 2005, perhaps with guarantees of permanent restrictions on free movement of labour from Turkey.