STRASBOURG - France's minister for European affairs on Oct. 22 said he was opposed to Georgia and Ukraine entering the NATO military alliance for now because it would not benefit Europe.

"I think that it is not the right time for membership for Georgia and Ukraine," Jean-Pierre Jouyet said on the sidelines of a European Parliament session.
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"It is not in the interests of Europe or its relations with Russia."

NATO foreign ministers are in December set to once again examine Georgia and Ukraine's candidacy for membership, strongly denounced by Moscow.

While Jouyet said he was expressing his personal opinion, he in fact confirmed a view repeatedly expressed by Paris.

Along with Germany, France has been reluctant to take the two ex-Soviet states into the alliance and draw the wrath of Russia, which has made it clear it would regard …