US, Russian defense chiefs promote deeper ties: "US Defense Secretary Robert Gates and his Russian counterpart Anatoly Serdyukov vowed to expand military cooperation on Wednesday, in a sign of improving relations between Moscow and Washington.
In the first visit to the Pentagon by a Russian defense minister in five years, Serdyukov was greeted with military pomp before heading into a full day of talks with Gates.
The high-profile visit carried important symbolism and reflected a much-touted 'reset' of relations between the former Cold War foes over the past year, with the two sides forging common ground on the war in Afghanistan, arms control and Iran's nuclear program."
