De Hoop Scheffer urged Russia to honour its pledge to withdraw its forces from Georgia [AFP]

"We have determined that we cannot continue with business as usual," Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the Nato secretary general, said, following talks in Brussels on Tuesday.

The 26 Nato foreign ministers said: "We call on Russia to demonstrate, both in word and deed, its continued commitment to the principles upon which we agreed to base our relationship."

The secretary general said Russian troops were not withdrawing from Georgia as promised in the six-point EU-brokered ceasefire.

De Hoop Scheffer said: "They are not withdrawing as the Russian president promised."

"It's now on Russia to take action, not on Nato... we are not slamming the door for talking to Russia, although let me repeat with the present circumstances with the Russian forces in Georgia I don't see the possibility of a Nato-Russia council meeting.

He also said Nato stood by its decision in Bucharest in April to allow Georgia to join Nato at some point in the future.

"Georgia can become a member of the alliance and in my opinion one day will become a member of it. The Bucharest decision stands.

"It is the six-point plan that is the beacon. I mean you don't sign the plan, make public and private comments about it and then say this plan isn't worth anything."

"I do think the Russians will come to realise 'what do they have to gain from doing what they are doing?' We both have vested interest in this relationship."

"It's not business as usual. They're occupying a sovereign nation."

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