Several speeches today have picked up on one crucial issue at today's symposium, namely the relationship between diplomacy and defense. The former U.S. ambassador to Germany, Richard Burt, says diplomatic progress is important, but that a diplomatic balance is the aim. He criticizes, "We focused on other issues. Now we have to live with the consequences." Of the German government's decision to significantly increase military spending, he says this was a "difficult but important decision." -ls
Katrin Rulle