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Optimism amongst EU applicants

26/06/2002 11:12
Negotiators from six applicant countries, aspiring to join the European Union, appeared optimistic today that they will achieve their objective of accession by 2004.

As the CNA reports, representatives from Slovenia, Estonia, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Cyprus, said after a two-day meeting in Protaras, Cyprus, that they had a very useful and productive exchange of views and decided to meet again in early October in Budapest, before the European Commission issues its progress reports on each applicant country on the basis of which the EU Council will decide which to invite to join.

Cyprus' chief negotiator with the EU George Vassiliou told a press conference here that the meeting, the 17th of its kind, was "successful" and shows that applicant countries are making a real effort to create the right climate for their membership talks.