Turkey won warm words of support today in its battle for a fixed date for European Union membership talks but looked certain to be disappointed in its uncompromising demand for negotiations to kick off in 2003.
As EU leaders began a two-day summit, Italy said six countries wanted Ankara to be granted accession talks in 2004, but admitted that a number of other partners, including Germany, were deeply opposed to such a swift opening.
Diplomats said Turkey looked likely to have to swallow its pride and accept a review of its human rights performance in 2004 before talks could start, either the same year or in 2005.
The issue of possible Turkish EU membership arouses deep passions across the continent, with many people concerned about letting a mainly Muslim state with a rapidly growing population into the predominantly Christian EU club.
Firmly backed by the United States, Turkish leaders have lobbied vigorously for 2003 talks and rejected a Franco-German proposal to open negotiations in July 2005 - provided it passes a review on human rights and democracy in December 2004.
Italian Prime Minister Mr Silvio Berlusconi promised to fight the Turkish corner at the summit, which is due to seal accession agreements with 10 mainly east European candidate countries. "When an Islamic country...which has a clear division between state and religion, wants to become a Western democracy, we have to hope that this will happen and that others will support it," Mr Berlusconi told reporters.
EU leaders say Ankara must enact and implement laws to end torture, punish torturers, free all political prisoners, widen freedom of speech and association, give Kurds and non-Muslims greater rights and entrench civilian control over the military. Although there is no formal linkage, Turkey's progress also depends unofficially on its cooperation in UN efforts to reunite Cyprus and lifting its obstruction of a deal to give the EU assured access to NATO planning and assets for military operations.
EU foreign policy chief Mr Javier Solana said he was sure Turkey would get a date tying it ever closer to the European Union, but indicated that compromises would be needed.
"Is it going to be a date that is going to be 100 per cent satisfactory? I don't know, but there is no doubt there will be room for everybody to leave this historic summit satisfied."