Brussels  - K

Brussels  - The scandal over the sale of Belgium's troubled Fortis bank prompted Prime Minister Yves Leterme to propose the entire government resign Friday, the Belga news agency said.

The proposal came after Leterme called a crisis session of ministers following the resignation of Justice Minister Jo Vandeuzen, who also acts as Belgium's minister for institutional reform.

The latest moves followed accusations that the government had tried to influence a December 12 court ruling over the sale of Fortis to BNP Paribas.

Brussels - NATO and Russia are expected to resume direct talks at ambassadorial level in January, an alliance spokeswoman said Friday.

"The (NATO) secretary general is now looking at a date for an informal meeting of the NATO-Russia Council at ambassadors' level in mid-January," Carmen Romero told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

Her comments came after an informal lunchtime meeting between NATO chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and Dmitry Rogozin, Russia's ambassador to NATO.

The meeting in Brussels was the first of its kind since NATO broke off formal ties with Russia over the August conflict in Georgia.

Brussels - Turkey took another small step towards European Union membership Friday by opening two new negotiating chapters with the bloc's executive, the European Commission.

But after talks in Brussels with Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn warned that more was needed from Ankara, particularly in the field of political and social reform.

The commission is also insisting that Turkey allow access to its ports to Cypriot vessels, as requested by EU governments in December 2007.

Babacan said his country's goal was to reach a comprehensive settlement on the Cyprus issue.

Brussels - Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme faced growing calls to quit Thursday after his office was accused of trying to influence a court ruling on the sale of the country's troubled Fortis bank.

"Leterme wobbles" read the front-page headline of leading Flemish daily De Standaard.

"Leterme torpedos himself" said the French-language daily Le Soir.

Paris - French bank BNP Paribas disclosed Thursday that it is postponing its planned takeover of the troubled bank and insurance company Fortis, citing a Brussels court ruling.

On its website BNP Paribas cited a December 12 ruling by a court in Brussels ordering a 65-day freeze on any transaction involving Fortis in a case involving a suit filed by some 2,000 shareholders challenging the selloff of the bank.

BNP Paribas also called off an extraordinary shareholders meeting which had been set for Friday to vote on the Fortis takeover.

In late September, a joint rescue plan by The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg was announced effectively to nationalize Fortis and then break up the company into separate units in each of the countries.