Moscow/Tbilisi - The government of Georgia sees room for restoring diplomatic relations with Russia despite the war the two nations fought in August, says Georgia's new foreign minister, according to a Russian newspaper.

"We are open to negotiations," said Grigol Vasadze, quoted in the Monday edition of Kommersant, a Moscow daily.

Commentators say Vasadze's appointment is a positive sign for relations between Russia and Georgia. Vasadze lived in Russia for 30 years and still holds Russian citizenship.

Helsinki  - Proposals to continue Geneva-based peace talks between Russia and Georgia were welcomed Thursday by several foreign ministers in Finland to attend a meeting of the 56-nation Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

The European Union and the OSCE helped broker a ceasefire after the war in August. That included the stationing of military monitors from the OSCE.

Tbilisi - Georgia has broken off ties with Nicaragua after the latter recognized the independence of the breakaway Georgia regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, media reports said Saturday.

The government in Tbilisi delivered a note to the Nicaraguan ambassador to the United Nations notifying him of the formal break in diplomatic relations, the Interfax news agency reported.

On September 2, Nicaragua became second country in the world after Russia to recognize the independence of the two regions following Georgia's August war with Russia.

Brussels  - Despite intense lobbying, Georgia and Ukraine look certain not to be offered a fast track towards NATO membership when alliance foreign ministers meet on Tuesday to discuss their membership hopes, diplomats said.

"There does not need at this point in time to be any discussion of a membership action plan (MAP) ... Georgia and Ukraine are not ready for membership. That is very clear," US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Wednesday.

Warsaw - The head of security for Polish President Lech Kaczynski was fired after shooting rang out on Sunday near the Polish and Georgian presidential motorcade near the South Ossetian border, local media reported on Thursday.

Colonel Krzysztof Olszowiec was fired amid allegations he had failed to provide adequate security during the incident, Polish media reported.

The government issued a report on Thursday saying the incident was not an attack on the Georgian and Polish presidents, and Poland's Government Protection Bureau (BOR) was not given adequate time to arrange security for the visit, reported the Polish Press Agency.

Washington  - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice backed off plans to offer Georgia and Ukraine a formal roadmap for joining NATO, but said the United States is still committed to bringing the two countries into the alliance.

Rice is due to arrive in Brussels next week for a conference of NATO foreign minister December 2-3. She does not plan to push for quickly offering the former Soviet states a so-called membership action plan, which would place them on course to join NATO.

"Georgia and Ukraine are not ready for membership. That is very clear," Rice said, referring to the benchmarks countries must meet to enter NATO. "There does not need at this point in time to be any discussion of a" membership action plan.