51.   In a national referendum Sunday, Swiss voters looked set to reject membership talks with the European Union, reinforcing their traditional independence from the rest of the continent.

52.   In return, the other EU members accepted a Greek demand committing the Union to opening membership talks with Cyprus, officials said.

53.   Instead of membership talks it was offered a special relationship, including annual summits with EU leaders.

54.   It has opened membership talks with the Greek Cypriot side after Turkish Cypriots refused to join an all-Cyprus negotiating team.

55.   It suspended talks with the European Union on human rights and on disputes with Greece and Cyprus after the exclusion earlier this month from membership talks.

56.   Last December, the EU agreed not to begin membership talks leading Turkey to freeze relations.

57.   Lithuania and its neighbor Latvia, both former Soviet republics, hope to be in the next group of countries invited for EU membership talks.

58.   Last month, the ministers signaled the EU would open membership talks in stages, rather that starting negotiations with all the candidates at once.

59.   Lithuania is hoping EU leaders will at agree their year-end summit in Vienna, Austria, to open formal membership talks next year.

60.   Membership talks are expected to start within six months with a dozen applicants.