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Behind the scenes diplomacy: Karzai and Merkel meet in Berlin

German Chancellor Angela Merkel talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai during a meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin on May 16, 2012. Merkel and Karzai are due to sign a bilateral cooperation agreement, as well as hold talks paving the way for a May 20-21 NATO summit in Chicago.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai during a meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin on May 16, 2012. Merkel and Karzai are due to sign a bilateral cooperation agreement, as well as hold talks paving the way for a May 20-21 NATO summit in Chicago.Guido Bergmann / German Press Office via AFP - Getty Images
By Phaedra Singelis

Yesterday, Angela Merkel met with the new president of France, Francois Hollande shortly after his swearing in. Today, Karzai is in Berlin to sign a strategic partnership with Germany and prepare for the NATO summit in Chicago. The U.S. hopes to announce funding for the Afghan security forces at the summit. Germany has the third largest contigent of troops serving in Afghanistan behind the U.S. and Britain.

Phaedra Singelis