Asked to comment on the parting gift from his German counterpart at his last NATO meeting in Brussels, Powell admitted that the two men had a history of such exchanges.

"Its a little joke that Joschka and I have played on each other for several years," said Powell, who is a veteran of NATO gatherings, starting long ago in the lower ranks of the US military.

"I expressed my admiration for German flip-top beer one day, the kind with the little tops that pop off, and Joschka sent me a case and I enjoyed it very much."

"And the next time I saw him, since he is a member of the Greens party, I gave him the empties back," he added.

The US secretary of state was ever the diplomat when asked how he liked his latest German gift.

"I don't know," he said. "I haven't had a chance to drink it yet. I will report in due course."