In a recent opinion poll carried out in Germany, 56% of Germans said they were against Georgia joining NATO, the pollster said on Friday.

The poll published by Leipziger Volkszeitung indicated that only 24% out of 1001 respondents believe that the former Soviet republic should join the alliance. Over half of Germans (54%) believe that relations with Russia should be maintained.

Concerning Russia's response to Georgia's aggression in South Ossetia, 77% considered it was excessive.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was recently rated world's most powerful woman by Forbes magazine, said Russia's decision was "totally unacceptable."

Georgia, as well as another Soviet republic Ukraine, has been pursuing NATO membership. The two states failed to secure an agreement on a NATO Membership Action Plan, a key step toward joining the alliance, at the organization's summit in April, but were told the decision would be reviewed in December.