British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook (L) talks with his Estonian counterpart Toomas Ilves (C) and European External Relations Commissioner Hans Van Den Broek (R) during a ceremony with European Union foreign ministers in Brussels March 31 marking the start of talks on EU expansion. Five of eastern Europe's most advanced economies, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Estonia, plus Cyprus today began the long and arduous journey to full membership of the European Union. Behind them at right stands German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel.

EUROPE ENLARGEMENT