Dr Stephan Eisel, MdB, one of the City of Bonn representatives in the German Parliament (Bundestag) visited the CMS Secretariat in Bonn on 5 December for an introductory meeting with the Executive Secretaries of CMS/ASCOBANS and EUROBATS. Dr Eisel has considerable experience of the host City’s institutions and personalities, and takes a major interest in European and international affairs. Dr Eisel is a CDU member and his pre-parliamentary career included spells with former Chancellor Kohl's private office and at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. During his discussions with Robert Hepworth and Andreas Streit he was able to suggest a number of possible avenues to strengthen interactions between Bonn, the CMS Family and Germany as a whole.

Dr Eisel mentioned plans for a major event in Berlin next year to highlight the role of the all the UN bodies based in Germany, which is expected to attract high-level attendance and support. The two Executive Secretaries were delighted to hear of the plans, as the UNEP/CMS Family has itself been seeking such an event for several months. CMS will be strongly represented at the event, which is likely to be hosted by the NRW Government in Berlin in the middle of 2008.

The meeting was also an opportunity to brief Dr Eisel on the work of CMS and its Agreements, including our interests in whale conservation, bats and the EC-funded Sahelo-Saheran antelope project.

At the end of his visit, the Executive Secretary presented Dr Eisel with a special CMS crystal key ring and looked toward to following up the ideas discussed and to further co-operation in Bonn and Berlin.