Bradley A. Smith, an election lawyer and a former Republican member of the commission, said that filing a candidate statement was not a definitive step.

Santos called the measure a definitive step toward the political integration of Latin America.

He said he is waiting to hear from his own commission studying the issue before taking any definitive steps.

"They felt," he said, that "it would be foolish for us not to test it" in the courts "before making the definitive step" to withdraw.

The decision is the most definitive step yet by the coalition of Conservatives and Communists to press corruption charges against members of the previous Government.

However, these discussions are only in the very beginning stages and no definitive steps have been made one way or the other.

Wimbledon should be commended for making a very definitive step in going all the way to equality in one swoop.

It is my fervent hope that in its sitting of 5 February, the European Parliament will also take a definitive step in this direction.

If it is based on sound framework measures, there is no need for initial hesitation before taking the final and definitive step towards the euro.

The peace was also a definitive step towards the centralisation of the Burgundian control, at the cost of the power of the cities.