"It's a question of now or postponment for years"

The European Union warned Poland yesterday not to push money demands too far and urged Turkey to be realistic about a date for entry talks, at the start of a historic summit set to expand the bloc into eastern Europe.

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen made a dramatic appeal to the 10 mostly poor, east European candidates to accept final accession pacts or risk delaying their entry into the wealthy 15-nation EU until 2007 or beyond.

"I'm not saying it's a question of now or never. But it's a question of now or postponement for years, maybe for many years," he told a news conference before chairing the summit.

Rasmussen said some EU members thought he had already been too generous, adding: "At the moment, I have no more money... I foresee tough negotiations." Diplomats said this was a hint that a final top-up was still possible.

Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of Germany, the EU's biggest paymaster, sent a similar signal, saying Berlin would not let the historic opportunity for a peaceful, prosperous Europe fail.

Turkey's campaign for an early date for negotiations inched forward with a growing number of states saying the EU could open talks in 2004. But Prime Minister Abdullah Gul insisted on nothing less than a firm date for negotiations in 2003.

US President George W. Bush's lobbying on behalf of Washington's key Muslim Nato ally irked some EU officials.

The Danes appealed to Turkey's new leaders for patience and pleaded for a deal to enable a reunited Cyprus to join the bloc.

Hopes of a signing in Copenhagen faded when veteran Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash was admitted to hospital in Ankara. But UN envoy Alvaro de Soto shuttled between Greek and Turkish Cypriot officials in Copenhagen in a bid for a breakthrough.

With key issues undecided as the summit began, Denmark said the meeting could run into the weekend if needed.

The decisions the leaders make will redraw the map of Europe. But with little money to spare, they could give the biggest expansion in the EU's 45-year history a bitter taste for some newcomers and jeopardise public support in referendums.

The 10 nations set to be handed invitations to join in May 2004 are Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Cyprus and Malta. The EU is expected to back Bulgaria and Romania's aim of entry in 2007.

Polish leaders, who have led the battle for more EU cash especially for their farmers, struck a fatalistic note.

"We are known in Europe for fighting hard for Polish interests to the last moment," Prime Minister Leszek Miller said on departing for Copenhagen. But the deal would be "the best achievable in the circumstances".

In contrast, Turkey showed no sign of toning down its demand to be given a clear start date in 2003 for accession talks.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said six EU countries now backed opening talks with Turkey at the start of 2004, before Cyprus and the other frontrunners join. But he acknowledged that Germany was resisting a firm 2004 date.

A majority of member states favour a Franco-German proposal to review Ankara's human rights performance in 2004 and start negotiations in 2005 if it passes the test.

Rasmussen said he was sure he would find a consensus yesterday night and urged Turkey to take it constructively.

"We aim at sending a positive signal to Turkey and hope the Turkish government will receive it in the spirit in which it was sent," he said.

Insistent US lobbying for Turkey, a crucial ally in any war with Iraq, drew criticism from senior EU officials.

"I often say that America is very generous in offering Turkey membership in the European Union, but America is not yet a member. These are matters for Europe and Europe's voters to decide," EU External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten said.

French President Jacques Chirac and Schroeder were to meet Turkish leader Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Abdullah Gul on Friday in a potentially decisive moment for Ankara's candidacy.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said after meeting Erdogan that the EU had an opportunity to show "faith in that reform process and to make sure Turkey is given a firm and clear date. And I hope very much to achieve this."

The EU would prefer a united Cyprus to join the bloc, but is prepared to admit the internationally recognised Greek Cypriot part if there is no accord with the Turkish Cypriots.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded the north of the island in response to a Greek Cypriot coup backed by the military junta then ruling Greece.

While geopolitics were at play in the decisions on Turkey and Cyprus, money was at the root of last-ditch negotiations on admitting the east Europeans, all of them once communist states.

The candidates want the EU to grant them the full 42.5 billion euros ($43 billion) originally budgeted for expansion.

A "final" Danish offer falls two billion euros short of that, but the EU's main net contributors, notably Germany, say they can no longer afford more because of an economic slowdown.

The Copenhagen summit site was under tight security to head off plans by up to 30,000 protesters to disrupt the meeting. Police had arrested three people by early afternoon, including a German citizen carrying a knife.