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Nato denies Georgia and Ukraine Nato denies Georgia and Ukraine
(20 minutes later)
Nato has confirmed it will not yet offer membership to Georgia or Ukraine but agreed to review the decision on the ex-Soviet republics in December. Nato has confirmed it will not yet offer membership to Georgia or Ukraine after the 26-member alliance was split amid strong objections from Russia.
The alliance also said it would not invite Macedonia to join amid protests from Greece over Macedonia's name. The alliance also said it would not invite Macedonia to join after protests from Greece over Macedonia's name.
But at a summit in Romania, Nato said Balkan neighbours Albania and Croatia would be asked to join the alliance.But at a summit in Romania, Nato said Balkan neighbours Albania and Croatia would be asked to join the alliance.
France's President Nicolas Sarkozy announced that hundreds of extra troops would be sent to Afghanistan. US and Czech officials agreed to base a missile defence radar on Czech soil, a plan that has also angered Russia.
On the sidelines of the meeting, US and Czech officials reached agreement on the siting of a missile defence radar on Czech territory, a suggestion that has angered Russia. And President Nicolas Sarkozy said that France would make a decision on Nato by the end of the year, indicating it would return to the military command it left in 1966 in protest at the dominance of US commanders.
He also said hundreds of extra French troops would be sent to Afghanistan.
'Disappointment''Disappointment'
The announcements came after a night of diplomatic wrangling over new members which poisoned the summit atmosphere, says the BBC's Jonathan Marcus in Bucharest.The announcements came after a night of diplomatic wrangling over new members which poisoned the summit atmosphere, says the BBC's Jonathan Marcus in Bucharest.
US President George W Bush had called for Georgia and Ukraine to be allowed to join.US President George W Bush had called for Georgia and Ukraine to be allowed to join.
But the move was opposed by Germany and France and effectively blocked, since Nato must agree unanimously on new members. But the move was opposed by Germany and France, amid concerns voiced by Russia over Nato's eastward expansion.
Macedonian officials said the rejection was a "huge disappointment" that would undermine stability in the Balkans. Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told a news conference Georgia and Ukraine would become members one day.
Georgian diplomats earlier said the expected "no" would be a victory for Russia, which has voiced concerns at Nato's eastward expansion. Georgian diplomats earlier said the expected "no" would be a victory for Russia, which views the military alliance with suspicion.
Macedonian officials said their rejection was a "huge disappointment" that would undermine stability in the Balkans.
US calls for Macedonia to join were opposed by Greece, which has a northern province that is also called Macedonia.US calls for Macedonia to join were opposed by Greece, which has a northern province that is also called Macedonia.
It contended that the former Yugoslav republic's insistence on being known as Macedonia implied a territorial claim.It contended that the former Yugoslav republic's insistence on being known as Macedonia implied a territorial claim.