Participation by the Russian defense minister Anatoly Serdiukov in the Russia-NATO Council was an attraction for the international press. It was considered to be one of the most interesting events in a series of ministerial meetings at the NATO headquarters. The intrigue was added with the rumor that he might not come, which would be received as a certain political message. 

Anatoly Serdiukov was the first member of the Russian government to come to NATO after Medvedev’s address in Berlin. It was expected that he would explain the proposals by the Russian President about a new system of European security. There was also interest to get information about Russian-Georgian developments. Who else could have informed better, if not the defense minister! 

Nonetheless, the press did not see or hear anything of him. He just escaped. Not appearing in the press center, he hurried off to the dinner given by the ambassador Vadim Lukov. It seemed to matter more than international image of Russia. Though, at the entrance he said something to the journalists from the pool that had been with him on the plane. Anyway, those journalists never ask uneasy questions.  

The rest of reporters had to receive information narrated by NATO General Secretary Yaap de Hoop Schaeffer and by the US defense minister Robert Gates. The questions by the press sounded like “I understand that you are not Mr. Serdiukov but…” Those two answered to the best of their awareness.   

Mr. Schaeffer said he would like to know what exactly President Medvedev meant when making his proposal. He did not agree with one of the Medvedev’ points that NATO has played out. He said the opposite is true. Generally, he does not have any information about details of the Medvedev’s proposal.  

The head of Pentagon Robert Gates stuck up for his Russian colleague saying it had been important that the Council meeting began with discussion of the list of examples of positive cooperation with Russia. That was about transit of NATO equipment through Russia’s territory to Afghanistan, struggle with drugs traffic and joint exercises of the emergency ministries staffs. 

Anatoly Serdiukov did not mention Medvedev’s proposals at the Russia-NATO Council as if they did not exist at all. Either didn’t he give a response to the questions by NATO ministers about tensions with Georgia.