From the Local: According to Friday’s edition of daily Berliner Zeitung, Merkel has ordered Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière, and Development Minister Dirk Niebel to appear at the Chancellery on Monday evening.

There Merkel and the ministers plan to finalise their list of priorities for Germany’s participation in the Afghanistan conflict and development – to be presented by Westerwelle on Thursday in London.

Details of Germany’s Afghanistan policy reportedly remains unclear, and it has been said that Westerwelle may only present goals for civil contributions in the country, the paper said.

There has also been discussion of doubling development aid from €125 million to €250 million, and increasing the number of police and army trainers from 120 to 200.”