Dr. Georg Witschel studied law in Erlangen, Germany, where he also received his PhD in International Law. In 1983 he entered the diplomatic service. During his career in the German Foreign Office, he has held the following posts: from 1985 - 86 he was a Political Advisor for the Federal Chancellor's Office, Bonn; from 1986 - 89 he was part of the Public International Law Division in the German Foreign Office, Bonn; 1989 - 92 he served as a Political Counsellor in the German Embassy, Tel Aviv, Israel; 1992 - 95 he held the position of the Deputy Ambassador and Head of the Economic Department, German Embassy in Ljubljana, Slovenia; 1995 - 98 he was the Deputy Director Senior Personnel Division for the German Foreign Office, Bonn; 1998 -- 2001 he worked as Deputy Director of Political Department and Legal Adviser, Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations, New York; 2001 -- 02 he was the Director of the UN Policy Division at the German Foreign Office, Berlin; 2002 - 06 he was the the Federal Government Commissioner for Combating International Terrorism at the German Foreign Office, Berlin. Since July 2006, Dr. Witschel has served as the Director General of the Legal Department at the German Foreign Office and Legal Advisor of the Federal Government on International Law.