21.   Cyprus and five East European nations opened membership talks with the EU Tuesday in Brussels, Belgium.

22.   Denktash began insisting on recognition following a European Union decision last year to open membership talks with the Greek Cypriot government.

23.   Denktash began insisting on recognition of his state following a decision by the European Union last year to open membership talks with the Greek Cypriot government.

24.   Denktash began insisting on recognition of his state following the EU decision last year to open membership talks with the Greek Cypriot government.

25.   Denmark, for one, would have preferred for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to start membership talks with the EU simultaneously for the sake of preserving Baltic unity.

26.   Cyprus, which has begun membership talks with the EU, could immediately qualify for WEU associate partner status, which is given to non-EU members.

27.   Earlier this month, EU officials unveiled plans to open membership talks next year with Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Slovenia and Cyprus.

28.   Earlier this year the EU opened formal membership talks with five countries from central and eastern Europe, and Cyprus.

29.   EU government leaders will meet in December to make the final choice of countries to be invited to the first round of membership talks.

30.   EU signals it will open membership talks in stages.