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Nato denies Georgia and Ukraine Nato denies Georgia and Ukraine
(30 minutes later)
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.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 after protests from Greece over Macedonia's name. Moscow said Nato's promise that the ex-Soviet republics would join one day was a "huge strategic mistake".
But at a summit in Romania, Nato said Balkan neighbours Albania and Croatia would be asked to join the alliance. At a summit in Romania, Macedonia was also denied Nato entry but Albania and Croatia were given the green light.
US and Czech officials agreed to base a missile defence radar on Czech soil, a plan that has also angered Russia.US and Czech officials agreed to base a missile defence radar on Czech soil, a plan that has also 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. And President Nicolas Sarkozy indicated France would return next year to the Nato 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. He also said hundreds of extra French troops would be deployed to Afghanistan, easing fears of a crisis within the Western coalition there.
'Disappointment' 'Not happy'
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.
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But the move was opposed by Germany and France, amid concerns voiced by Russia over Nato's eastward expansion.But the move was opposed by Germany and France, amid concerns voiced by Russia over Nato's eastward expansion.
Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told a news conference Georgia and Ukraine would become members one day. Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told a news conference Georgia and Ukraine would become members eventually.
Georgian diplomats earlier said the expected "no" would be a victory for Russia, which views the military alliance with suspicion. The alliance decided not to offer Ukraine and Georgia a membership action plan - a gateway to membership - but agreed on Thursday to review this in December.
Georgian diplomats said they were "not happy" with the delay but welcomed the promise of eventual membership.
Macedonian officials said their rejection was a "huge disappointment" that would undermine stability in the Balkans.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. The US had also called for Macedonia to join but this was strongly 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 argued that the former Yugoslav republic's insistence on being known as Macedonia implied a territorial claim.