U.S. President George W. Bush (L) shakes hands with his Romanian counterpart Traian Basescu during a news conference at the Protocol Villas in Neptun,on the Black Sea coast, April 2, 2008.((Xinhua/Rompres Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BUCHAREST, April 3 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W. Bush said Thursday he regretted that Macedonia was not invited to join NATO at the alliance's summit in Bucharest.

    "We regret that we were not able to reach consensus today to invite Macedonia to join the alliance," Bush told a meeting of NATO leaders with those of the two countries invited to join NATO -- Croatia and Albania.

    "Macedonia has made difficult reforms at home. It is making major contributions to NATO missions abroad," he said.

    Bush said the name issue between Macedonia and Greece needs to be resolved quickly so that Macedonia can be invited to join NATO as soon as possible.

    "In the interim, NATO needs to intensify its engagement with Macedonia to make sure that NATO looks forward to the day when Macedonia takes its place among the members of the Atlantic alliance," said Bush.

    The failure to invite Macedonia as well as NATO's refusal to give pre-membership arrangements to Ukraine and Georgia are seen as setbacks for Bush, which had pushed strongly on both issues.

    Macedonia's bid was blocked by Greece, which fears that the former Yugoslav republic's constitutional name -- Republic of Macedonia -- implies territorial ambition for the neighboring northern Greek province of Macedonia.

    Macedonia was disappointed at the result.

    "It is very regrettable ... that Macedonia's bid for NATO membership was punished not because what we have done, but because of who we are," Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki said on Thursday.

    Milososki said, however, Macedonia would not give up its efforts to join NATO because of the setback.

    "Macedonia is prepared and ready to get NATO membership," he told reporters, adding his country would continue to cooperate with NATO.

    Milososki remained tough on the name issue.

    "Republic of Macedonia is the name of the real, existing country with the real, existing people. And that is the cornerstone of the national identity of the Macedonians," Milososki said.

    A group of Macedonian journalists on Thursday walked out of a press conference by NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer to protest the decision.

    Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis said her country would like to see Macedonia join NATO in the future. But she reiterated the position that Macedonia must change its country name first.

    On Ukraine and Georgia, Bush said NATO's door must remain open.

    "We must give other nations seeking membership a full and fair hearing. As we invite new members today we're also clear that the progress of enlargement will continue," he said.

    NATO leaders failed to reach consensus on MAP for Ukraine and Georgia. The leaders decided to leave the issue to a meeting of their foreign ministers in December 2008.

    To appease the two countries, the leaders said they will join MAP and ultimately become NATO members.

    "NATO welcomes Ukraine's and Georgia's Euroatlantic aspirations for membership in NATO. We agreed today that these countries will become members of NATO," said the leaders in a declaration.

    "MAP is the next step for Ukraine and Georgia on their direct way to membership. Today we make it clear that we support these countries' applications for MAP," they said.

    Germany and France feared that MAP for the two countries, at the doorstep of Russia, would further antagonize Moscow following Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence and the U.S. plan to deploy a missile defense shield in Poland and the Czech Republic.

    On the other hand, they feared that internal problems in these two countries would bring instability into NATO.

    There is strong opposition to NATO membership in Ukraine, especially in the Russian-speaking areas, while the government of Georgia does not control its breakaway regions.

    Russia has warned that NATO membership for the two former Soviet republics would bring instability, even war in the region.