The conflict in Georgia could end Georgia's ambitions for quick Nato membership, alliance diplomats conceded today.

Nato countries are expected to be even more strongly divided over whether to invite Georgia to start the process for joining the alliance as a result of the fighting with Russia over the secessionist region of South Ossetia.

Alliance foreign ministers are due to meet in December to discuss a “membership action plan” for Georgia and Ukraine, setting both countries on the road to Nato.

However, British officials said the conflict between Georgian and Russian troops in South Ossetia “had thrown everything up in the air”.

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Some member nations, such as the United States, Poland and Romania, could become even more bullish about the importance of drawing Georgia into the alliance, while others, including Germany and France, might want to delay the process, fearing the consequences for relations with Moscow, the diplomats said.

While no country was predicting how it will go in December, the new members, including Poland and Romania, made it clear today that nothing had happened to alter their view that Georgia should be able to join the alliance for the sake of stability in the region around the Black Sea.

Alliance diplomatic sources pointed out that even if the foreign ministers in December decided to approve the membership action plan for Georgia, it would not lead to membership within the short term. “Sometimes it can take nine or ten years for the process to be completed,” one diplomat said.

During that period, Georgia would not be in a position to oblige Nato members to come to its aid in the event of an attack on its territorial integrity. The wording of the Washington Treaty that covers all actions taken by Nato nations states clearly that only full members are entitled to call for help under Article 5 under which each country pledges to go to the assistance of a fellow member under attack.

Nato reacted today to the pleadings of Georgian people, quoted in The Times yesterday, who questioned what the alliance was doing to support them against the Russians.

Nato officials said that the alliance did not have a mandate to intervene in the Caucasus region although every effort was being made by Nato to support those trying to persuade Russia to agree to a ceasefire.

Britain which did not publicly back President George Bush at the Nato summit in Bucharest in April when he urged the alliance to offer membership to Georgia, indicated that it would support the membership action plan when the foreign ministers discuss it in December.

“Everyone recognises that Russia has a part to play in the world but we have to make it plain that there will be consequences for what the Russians have been doing," one official said.

Moscow was clearly trying to put off Nato from inviting Georgia into the organisation by underlining how unstable the country was, diplomatic sources said.

Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Nato Secretary-General, accused Russia of using excessive force and violating Georgia’s territory after Russian bombing continued near the Georgian capital of Tblisi.

A spokeswoman said he was seriously concerned about “the disproportionate use of force by the Russians and the lack of respect for the territorial integrity of Georgia”.

Ekaterine Tkeshelashvili, the Georgian Foreign Minister, will meet Nato ambassadors in Brussels tomorrow to discuss the crisis. European Union foreign ministers will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday and will hear a report from Bernard Kouchner, the French Foreign Minister, who is on a peace mission to Georgia. France currently holds the EU presidency.

Gordon Brown, on holiday in Southwold, has been in contact with President Sarkozy, the French leader, and with Ban Ki-Moon, the United Nations Secretary-General. The Prime Minister said there was “no justification for continued Russian military action in Georgia”. He spoke of Russia’s “aggression”.

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