Nicholas Sarkozy has agreed to a temporary cease fire in his bid to halt Turkey's accession process, European Union sources in Brussels told The New Anatolian.

The European Commission officials have reportedly told Sarkozy not to create more trouble for Turkey at this stage and lay off the issue.

As a face saving move the French president said he will force a debate on Turkey and whether it belongs in the EU "in the coming months." But he promised he will not raise the issue until the EU decides to settle its constitutional problems.

Addressing a packed Brussels press room on Wednesday a week after being sworn into office, Sarkozy stated "I believe that Turkey does not have a place in the European Union."

"We are going to have this debate on Turkey, we cannot avoid it," he added.

The president went on to promise that he would only raise the issue after there is agreement on a new treaty on the EU, with governments preparing to meet next month to flesh out a preliminary outline and timetable for the document.

But with other member states such as the Netherlands saying enlargement criteria should be part of a new treaty, the issue risks coming up at what is already set to be a fraught meeting on 21-22 June.

For his part European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso indicated that the EU should keep its promises towards Turkey which officially opened membership negotiations last autumn.

"I respect Mr Sarkozy's position," said Barroso but added that the commission "is in favor of the continuation of negotiations with Turkey." "After that it is up to member states to take their "responsibility," said the president. Other EU officials, such as Olli Rehn in charge of enlargement and Javier Solana, EU foreign policy chief, have also warned against alienating Turkey, fearing it will "search out other partners."

The commission is already struggling to keep the Brussels-Ankara talks afloat because of poor relations between EU member Greek Cyprus and Turkey. The EU has shifted Turkey's entry bid into a lower gear, partially suspending the talks last year to protest Turkey's ban on Greek Cypriot shipping and flights into Turkey.

Meanwhile, the Anatolian News Agency reporting from Brussels quoted EU and Belgian government sources as saying Sarkozy will not "bug his European allies and add fuel to the fire" on Turkey's EU membership. During the presidential elections campaign last month Sarkozy was outspoken about his opposition to Turkey's EU membership and said Turkey should lead a Mediterranean Union that will act like a partner to the EU.

He said during the election debates on TV with his rival Segolene Royal his position to Turkey's membership is definite and will not change.

Since Sarkozy's election EU leaders have said they are committed to the process for Turkey's membership and term president Germany has pointed out that all decisions in the EU are taken unanimously and there is no consensus in the Union to end talks with Turkey.

Simplified treaty

Speaking about the new treaty - to replace the rejected EU constitution - Sarkozy told the press conference in Brussels he believed that leaders are "making headway around the idea of a simplified treaty."

He said the final document should include a permanent EU presidency to replace the current rotating one, the possibility for "enhanced cooperation" between EU states and a move away from the veto to majority voting.

While avoiding a call for a two-speed Europe, something Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi bluntly threatened earlier this week, Sarkozy nevertheless said he could not understand member states that wanted to hold up others moving forward.

"I would prefer a Europe that moves forward," he said.