NATO is studying face-saving options for our country as well as for Georgia as prospects of the two ex-Soviet states securing membership plans dim ahead of December 2-3 talks among alliance foreign ministers, diplomats admitted.

Washington has caused a push for NATO to offer both countries a Membership Action Plan (MAP), a main step towards entry, at next week's meeting that will be held in Brussels.

Russia, a key energy provider to Europe, is fiercely opposed to Ukraine or Georgia joining NATO. France and Germany terminated offers of MAPs to both at an alliance summit in April, which did however promise them eventual NATO membership and a review of their cases in December.

A five-day August war between Georgia and Russia, together with political instability in Ukraine, added to European doubts.

"The MAP is dead for Georgia," a senior European diplomat admitted in Washington.

"For the NATO ministerial, nobody believes in it but we will try and find some kind of solution," the diplomat noted. Options could consist of a new formula for ties that would stop short of a full MAP offer.

A MAP is a program of advice and practical help covering political, economic, defense and security cooperation designed to help aspiring countries prepare for membership.

Some NATO states say proposing a MAP is only a technical step and does not prejudge any complete membership decision. Others add it is hard to refuse entry to a state once a MAP has been granted.