From July 2-9, 2007, former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich led an American Foreign Policy Council (AFPC)-sponsored delegation to Russia. The Moscow meetings took place immediately following the Bush-Putin summit in Maine, which attempted to improve what has become a very difficult and contentious relationship.
From June 16 through June 29, 2007, AFPC President Herman Pirchner, Jr. led a fact-finding delegation to Siberia to examine the Russo-Sino relationship. The group visited numerous cities along the Russia-China border including Irkutsk, Chita, Blagoveshchensk, Khabarovsk and Vladivostok.
On February 28, 2007, AFPC was pleased to host the fifth installment of its Capitol Hill conference series on “Missile Defenses and American Security.” This year’s event, held at the Capitol Hill Club, brought together top experts and policymakers to discuss the state of the policy and technology debates surrounding the Bush administration’s efforts to protect the American people from ballistic missile attack.
AFPC President Herman Pirchner traveled to Moscow in February 2007 to witness and briefly speak before a meeting of Russia’s Public Chamber. The Public Chamber is a new institution in Russia - a national body created by statue which advises the legislature (State Duma) and President on relevant legislation and monitors the implementation of new laws. The Chamber, whose members serve for unpaid, two-year terms, is composed of respected Russian professionals and academics with no ties to political parties.
From January 30th to February 7th, 2007, AFPC experts and associates took part in a high-level fact-finding mission to India. The six-member delegation, headed by former Pennsylvania governor and Homeland Security Secretary Thomas J. Ridge, included Pentagon Defense Science Board Chairman William Schneider, AFPC President Herman Pirchner, Jr., AFPC Vice President for Policy Ilan Berman, AFPC Senior Fellow in Asia Studies Stephen Yates, and Moffat & Company president Nathaniel Moffat.