This doesn’t always mean those leaders are pleasant people or good leaders, but it does mean we get the bi-weekly lecture by President/Prime Minister/Dictator X.

I just left a lecture given by the Austrian president, Heinz Fischer, who provided a much better experience than President Santos from Colombia last week. Austria recently welcomed President Abbas from Palestine. Someone in the audience decided to question Dr. Fischer on his handling of the situation (Abbas was welcomed just as any other president would have been). Fischer said he was good friends with Israel, but they needed to realize a two-state agreement was the only way. He said Austria is trying to do that at the moment. They haven’t yet finished persuading them. Then gave a wry smile to the questioner and said “OK?!” Yes, good fun.

Did I mention I’ll be leaving for Berlin on Thursday?