BRUSSELS, 05/12/06 - The Dutch cabinet favours imposing slightly heavier sanctions on Turkey than the European Commission proposes for its refusal to admit ships and planes from Cyprus.

Foreign Minister Ben Bot said yesterday that the sanction for Turkey "could be slightly tougher, slightly stronger than the European Commission has proposed". He was not prepared to specify how the approach could be toughened.

Foreign Ministers from the 25 EU countries will discuss the subject in Brussels on 11 December. The European Commission proposed on Wednesday that eight of the 26 remaining topics of discussion should be suspended. This would in fact mean that Turkey would be given ten years to ignore Cyprus.

Cyprus, Greece and leading countries such as Germany and France wish to set Turkey a new ultimatum. The Lower House wishes to suspend the accession negotiations with Turkey completely. Bot probably does not wish to go as far as this. A House debate on Turkey is to take place tomorrow.