NATO denies joining delegation to Georgia

NATO officials will not be part of a delegation travelling to Georgia to try to broker a ceasefire in its conflict with Russia over the rebel South Ossetia region, a spokeswoman said today.

The comment came after Britain's Defence Secretary Des Browne told Sky television in Britain that NATO officials would join EU, US, and Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) officials headed to Georgia today night to try to negotiate an end to the fighting.

"NATO denies it is sending an envoy to the region," said NATO spokeswoman Carmen Romero.

She said NATO had contact with Georgia and Russia but had no mandate to mediate in the region.

"NATO repeats its appeal to all sides including the Russians to immediately cease military operations and start negotiating. The negotiations... can only be based on Georgia's territorial integrity," she added.

Britain's Foreign Office later said: "The EU and the OSCE are going and we'll be in very close contact with the Americans on it... There is no firm decision that the Americans are in the group."