Senior Course 116 continued their Summer Field Study with a visit to Berlin. They were welcomed to the Ministry of Defence by Major General Karl Müllner, Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Policy and Arms Control, Armed Forces Staff, who outlined the programme for the morning and gave a lecture on “German Security and Defence Policy and Transformation”, in which he summarized the most salient aspects of the German position on security in general. One of the issues he stressed was the need for a comprehensive approach in the broadest sense (both national and international). He also discussed the German view on the development of the new NATO Strategic Concept, and concluded by highlighting the principles of German Military Transformation.
Major General Müllner was followed by the Deputy Director (Military) Joint Operations Staff, Brigadier General Dieter Warnecke, who presented the “German Commitment to Current Multinational Operations” to the course. He examined Germany’s contribution to 22 operations on three continents, elaborated on German troop structure and tasks in these operations, and gave some indications of Germany’s views on the future of – and German future contributions to – these operations.
In the discussion after the coffee break, both speakers answered a wide range of questions. Among the issues addressed were transformation and budget costs, declining budgets and force structure, German transformation in relation to NATO partners, the UN mandate for a German contribution to operations, nuclear assets on German soil in the light of the new strategic concept, NATO-Russia relations, and the future of the German military conscription system.
Next on the agenda, following transfer to the Paul-L ö be-Haus building, was a discussion with members of the German Bundestag, chaired by Mr Ruprecht Polenz, Member of the German Bundestag and Chairman of the Bundestag Foreign Affairs Committee (the first part was chaired by the Deputy Chairman). After a short introduction highlighting the foreign affairs currently discussed in the Committee, the floor was open for a 75-minute discussion period. Questions included topics such as the ISAF operation in Afghanistan, and the German view on how to restructure the UN, how to balance resources with missions, NATO military and economic solidarity, migration and Germany-Russia-NATO relations.
The last session concluded a successful day with extensive information on the military and political aspects of German security. It will be followed by a visit to the ILA Berlin Air Show tomorrow afternoon for a brief look at economic and industrial issues.
More about SC116 Summer Field Study:
First day – Italy
Second stop – London
Third step – The Hague
Forth leg of the trip – Moscow
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NATO Defense College