Nato offers scant comfort for Georgia over conflict with Russia

Major divisions opened up between Nato members as European countries rejected an American proposal to suspend ties with Russia over its actions in Georgia. By Adrian Blomfield in Tbilisi The differences at an emergency summit in Brussels offered scant comfort for Georgia, which had hoped that its bid for Nato membership would be expedited. While the alliance agreed to create a Nato-Georgia Commission which will support the country's economic recovery, there was no mention of speeding up the membership process. The summit was expected to present a united front against what Western countries say has been an act of unconscionable aggression against an important ally. The United States had called for a formal suspension of ministerial meetings with Moscow by Nato countries, but European members made clear they favoured a much... [read full story]