Germany's Merkel Against Georgia, Ukraine Joining NATO - AFP3-10-08 1:11 PM EDT

BERLIN (AFP)--German Chancellor Angela Merkel Monday signaled she opposes granting North Atlantic Treaty Organization membership to former Soviet republics Ukraine and Georgia.

"A country should become a NATO member not only when its temporary political leadership is in favor but when a significant percentage of the population supports membership," Merkel said in Berlin in reference to Ukraine and Georgia.

"Countries that are themselves entangled in regional conflicts, can in my opinion not become members," she added after talks with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.

Kiev and Tbilisi are expected to use the NATO military alliance's April 2-4 summit in Romania to confirm that they are candidates to join the alliance but their chances of securing a formal invitation seem remote.

Ukraine's leaders have asked to join NATO's Membership Action Plan, but public opinion at home is largely against the move...