Nato mulls Georgia, Ukraine links

France has pledged more troops to Nato's force in Afghanistan

Nato is to discuss how to maintain links with Georgia and Ukraine after indicating that it would not be offering them membership.

At a summit in Romania, delegates only agreed on a closer relationship with the two states in the future.

US President George W Bush had called for the two former Soviet republics to be allowed join the alliance, but the move is opposed by Germany and France.

Earlier, France confirmed it would send a battalion of troops to Afghanistan.

The US said the pledge would free up some of its troops to bolster Canadian forces in the south.

Canada had threatened to withdraw its contingent in Kandahar province unless other Nato countries sent reinforcements.

On Thursday, Mr Bush and UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown are expected to urge more members of the military alliance to commit troops or extra resources to the battle against the Taleban.

'Too early'

President Bush had called for Membership Action Plans (MAP) - a gateway to eventual entry - to be extended to Georgia and Ukraine.

However, Germany and France opposed the countries becoming formal candidates.

President Bush wanted membership for Georgia and Ukraine

"We have reached the conclusion that it is too early to give both countries MAP status," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on arrival at the three-day summit in Bucharest on Wednesday.

"I would be happy to be proved wrong, but I do not expect MAP for Georgia and Ukraine," Nato spokesman James Appathurai said.

Members of the Western military alliance must agree unanimously on potential members.

In what the BBC's diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus described as a damage-limitation exercise, Nato officials said the alliance would now discuss with Georgia and Ukraine the prospect of a later membership plan.

A senior Georgian diplomat has told the BBC that the "no" would be widely seen as a victory for Russia, which has voiced concerns at Nato's eastward expansion.

Balkan success

In other discussions, consensus was reached that Albania and Croatia should be invited to begin accession talks.

In addition, Mr Appathurai said Macedonia "should as soon as possible be offered the opportunity to begin accession talks".

However, agreement to admit Macedonia is being delayed by Greece's objections to the country's name.

Macedonia is also the name of a province in northern Greece, and Athens fears that this could imply a claim on its territory.