This year saw high level discussions translated into commitments at the policy level.
On one level, as professor Alan Fenwick put it, the high level discussions and an aid package of £245m from the UK Department for International Development (DfID), suggests that the NTDs have moved from "marginal to mainstream".
Officials familiar with high level discussions between Riyadh and Washington say both sides are determined to avoid the perception in the Sunni world that the upcoming campaign will benefit Iran and its Shia and Alawite proxies.
"Peres participated in high level discussions with the South African defence minister and led the South Africans to believe that an offer of nuclear Jerichos was on the table," he said.
The idea follows high level discussions between the partners in California.
"We'd be surprised if there were not very high level discussions ongoing now about how that might be maintained — whether it's passporting or some other method".
However, two of the EU's most influential members, France and Germany, have decided not to take part after high level discussions, according to the Financial Times.
Speaking in Tanzania on Monday, President Barack Obama said Moscow and Washington had held "high level discussions" about Mr Snowden, who he said had travelled to Moscow without valid documents.
As a result there was a disconnect between the various high level discussions, side events, and the final outcome of the conference.
Nature was indeed at the center of some high level discussions and policy-making throughout the year.
Note also that the Aspen Institute offers retreats for members of Congress, with high level discussions and presentations on policy issues.
