Georgia and Ukraine are not ready for NATO membership at this stage. The statement was made by the new NATO Anders Fogh Rasmussen secretary general. "They have not fulfilled the conditions necessary at this stage," Rasmussen told his first press conference in Brussels.

At the same time Secretary General reiterated the position of the North Atlantic Alliance, that Georgia and Ukraine in the future will be taken into NATO and the alliance will continue to provide them the necessary assistance to do so, RIA Novosti reports.

Rasmussen, formally entered into the post of NATO Secretary General on 1 August, on Monday he began its work in the Brussels headquarters of NATO.