EU candidates accused of ingratitude over accession offer

The present EU president Denmark warned Poland and other candidates yesterda y not to push unrealistic demands in the endgame of accession talks, but the applicants cautiously welcomed the Danes' improved offer. Denmark's new pack age, presented to the ten leading candidates on Tuesday, includes euro 1.3 b illion of new cash, additional money for farmers, higher agricultural produc tion quotas and more funds for nuclear safety and border controls. Stung by demands from some candidates for still more money, a senior Danish presidenc y source noted that barely two weeks remain before a summit in Copenhagen wh ere the EU hopes to conclude the long and complex negotiations. "Some countr ies have shown little understanding of where we stand in the negotiating pro cess," the source said. A second Danish diplomat said Poland, by far the big gest candidate country, had shown particular ingratitude. "If the Poles main tain this negotiating attitude, they will not be able to conclude under the Danish presidency," he said. (Reuters) A.Z.