Political Breakfast with Mark Sedwill

Berlin, May 11, 2010

Ambassador Mark Philip Sedwill, NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan, met with members of the German Bundestag, representatives of federal ministries, government agencies and selected think tanks to discuss challenges and perspectives for the civilian reconstruction process in Afghanistan.

Sedwill pointed out in his opening statement that any future engagement in Afghanistan would be faced with three major challenges. First of all it was important to deal with the acute security problems within the framework of the ISAF counterinsurgency strategy. Furthermore, it was imperative to resolve the political difficulties in Afghanistan. Thereafter it would be possible to transfer responsibilities to the Afghans on a step-by-step basis, though this called for a long-term perspective. In the ensuing discussion the participants talked about the activities of NATO, the EU and the UN in Afghanistan, and about the role played by Afghanistan’s neighbours. They also reviewed the criteria for a forthcoming transfer of responsibilities in both civil and security areas to the Afghan authorities.

Gallery

The Political Background Discussion continues Körber Foundation’s focus on current questions of foreign, security and defence policy in Afghanistan. Further events include:

• Körber-Debate with Peter Struck and Roger Willemsen: "Is Germany’s security being defended at the Hindu Kush?" (Discussion in German)
  
• Afghanistan-Forum with Federal Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle
• Körber Policy Paper No. 8 by Stefan Kornelius: The Undeclared War. Germany's Self-Deceit in Afghanistan (PDF)
• Political Breakfast with Abdullah Abdullah, Secretary General of the Ahmad Shah Massoud Foundation and former Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
• Background Discussion with Lieutenant General Karl W. Eikenberry, US Ambassador in Kabul and former Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee

Körber Foundation regularly invites a small circle of high-ranking actors within Berlin’s foreign policy community to its Political Background Discussions. As in the Bergedorf Round Tables, the discussions take place shielded from the public, so as to enable a confidential, frank, and constructive exchange.