Russian FM Sergey Lavrov has pulled out of a Russia-NATO council meeting planned for Brussels May 19. Lavrov's conduct is conditioned by recent decision to withdraw two Russian diplomats accreditation to NATO Headquarters in Brussels. This was the first NATO meeting after Russia's invasion of Georgia last August.

NATO leadership decided to withdraw Russian diplomats' accreditation after a scandal caused by Estonian Defense Ministry official who was sentenced to 12 years in prison for transferring 1000-page secret documentation to NCR.

Regretting for Mr. Lavrov's decision, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer expressed hope that RNC Foreign Ministers will appoint a date for new meeting. Alliance representative Carmen Romero stressed the importance of discussing several key issues with Russian colleagues, VOA News reports.