” “"The pace of accession must also reflect the EU’s ability to take up new member states": in the final document of the Brussels summit, the 25 member states outlined a criterion for the future. The president on duty, Matti Vanhanen, insisted on the fact "the future of the Western Balkans is in the EU". As to Turkey, it "must meet all criteria" and fully recognise the sovereignty of Cyprus. Most political leaders spoke about the Turkish issue. The French president, Jacques Chirac, explained that "the negotiations dictate that Turkey carry out the reforms required to reach the EU". The Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi lingered instead on the VII Framework Program for Research, which is to be launched next week by the Cabinet: Italy is going to submit a statement in which it "will ask to put some restrictions on the use of stem cells", using only "existing ones". This would mean implementing the Niebler amendment that was defeated by the EU Parliament. Then Prodi added: "We would have liked to place clearer ethical boundaries" on European research, "but the necessary democratic mediation forced us to accept an incomplete result". The Italian Prime Minister "will vouch for Italy abiding by the applicable regulations on tests on embryos".” “
