On Thursday, NATO’s Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer made known his belief that the military alliance should increase its role in the Artic to prevent environmental catastrophes in the region.

By Steve Gutterman TBILISI, Georgia - Diplomats from every NATO nation demanded immediate Russian withdrawal from Georgia in a show of support from the U.S. ally's capital on Monday that made no promise of faster membership in the alliance.

NATO discussions with the Republic of Georgia will encourage it to plan new military actions, a Russian lawmaker said Monday. RIA Novosti reported that Konstantin Kosachyov, the head of the State Duma's international affairs committee, warned against continuing talks.

Text of report by private Georgian news agency Kavkas-Press Tbilisi, 15 September: NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has said that despite its [Georgia's] problems in terms of territorial integrity, "the trajectory of Georgia's aspiration to join NATO was set in Bucharest [NATO committed to eventually admitting Georgia as a member at the 2-4 April NATO summit in Bucharest]".

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has said that despite the difficult situation in Georgia, the alliance expects that it "will further continue to walk on the path of democratic reforms, which is extremely important for the country on its path of Euro-Atlantic integration".