EU enlargement policy row

The European Commissioner for enlargement, Guenter Verheugen, has denied that he called for a referendum in his native Germany on the issue of the European Union's eastward expansion.

In his first public reaction to a controversial newspaper interview, Mr Verheugen said he had wanted to stress the need for stronger public acceptance for admitting new members.

The interview quoted him as saying that a referendum would force the elite to take note of the concerns of the people.

But he now says it did not reflect his words or ideas. The European Parliament has asked Mr Verheugen to clarify his position in a plenary meeting on Wednesday.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service