The six countries negotiating to join the European Union have called on Brussels to set a date for the conclusion of the talks.

Foreign ministers of the six, meeting in Estonia, said a date was essential if the momentum of the negotiations was to be maintained.

The ministers -- from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, Cyprus and Estonia -- said they believed the talks should be completed by the end of next year -- or by two-thousand-and-one at the very latest.

It was the first meeting of the six applicants to discuss problems in the accession talks. They're to meet again next spring in Slovenia.