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German minister urges Russia to cooperate in solving Syria crisis

 

FILE PHOTO - German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas speaks at a news conference in Brussels, Belgium, April 13, 2018. REUTERS/Yves Herman

 

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Saturday urged Russia to help solve the Syria crisis as he set off for a meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) major industrialised nations in Toronto.

 

The Syrian conflict has badly damaged already strained relations between the West and Russia, which backs President Bashar al-Assad.

 

The United States, France and Britain conducted missile strikes against Syrian targets this month after a suspected chemical weapons attack that Assad and Moscow deny carrying out.

 

"We need constructive contributions from Russia to reach a peaceful solution," Maas told reporters before his flight, adding that this was equally true of the Ukraine conflict, which the G7 foreign ministers are also due to discuss.

 

Russia is not a member of the G7 and will not be taking part in the meeting.

 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been very critical of Russia's involvement in both the Syrian and Ukraine conflicts and backs continued European Union sanctions against Moscow. But Maas hails from her junior coalition partner, the Social Democrats, which has traditionally sought good ties with Russia.

 

Germany did not take part in the air strikes, but Merkel backed them as a "necessary and appropriate" action to warn Syria against further use of chemical weapons.

 

German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen told Bild am Sonntag newspaper that the German armed forces would have been capable of taking part in the strikes but added: "We weren't asked this time."

 

Since World War Two Germany has been reluctant to get involved in military missions abroad. Its limited engagements abroad have focussed mainly on training, surveillance, medical rescue and peacekeeping.

 

SYRIAN PEACE TALKS

 

Von der Leyen said the air strikes in Syria had reinvigorated peace initiatives, adding that it was crucial for the Syria peace talks in Geneva to get off the ground with all participants again.

 

She said it was necessary to negotiate with Assad's government to achieve initial steps like a ceasefire and get humanitarian aid to suffering Syrians.

 

Von der Leyen, a member of Merkel's conservatives, called for a tough stance against Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying: "President Putin doesn't value weakness. Chumming up to him or being soft doesn't make him any friendlier."

 

She said it was important to insist that Russia keeps its commitments in the Minsk peace agreement before loosening sanctions imposed against Moscow over the Ukraine conflict.

 

But she also stressed that it was important to remain willing to talk to Russia.

 

Next week Maas is due to take part in an international conference on Syria in Brussels. He said humanitarian aid for people in Syria would be the main focus of that meeting.

 

"I will again affirm our support for the peace process under the aegis of the United Nations. We urgently need a political solution for this conflict that has gone on for far too long," Maas said.

 

On Monday Maas will fly to New York, where he will call for Germany to get a non-permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council.

 

Von der Leyen said Germany needed to increase its defence budget by several billion euros by 2021 or it would not be able to meet its international commitments.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-04-22

[peperobi]

By talking are all those politicians (from every country around the world) good, is look they know what they talking about, the fact is they talking always that what other peoples said already before, where are the solutions of all that problems?

[roobaa01]

germany did not participate in the attack cause they were not asked. why was germany not asked for due to merkel's lack of creating an intelligent int. foreign policy , she had germany politically isolated internationally. maas is a political nonsense without the ability to implement a forceful german diplomacy. he is pale, stays pale without competence, proven already when he held the justice office.

 

wbr

roobaa01

 

 

 

[Baerboxer]

2 hours ago, roobaa01 said:

germany did not participate in the attack cause they were not asked. why was germany not asked for due to merkel's lack of creating an intelligent int. foreign policy , she had germany politically isolated internationally. maas is a political nonsense without the ability to implement a forceful german diplomacy. he is pale, stays pale without competence, proven already when he held the justice office.

 

wbr

roobaa01

 

 

 

 

Germany wasn't asked, because like Japan, the former Allied Powers, haven't trusted them militarily since WW11. Both countries thriving economies and development since their destruction have been down to American led generosity and help rather than punishment, which Britain and France had to accept.

 

Their defense minister is the one who applauded Brexit "as Britain was blocking her idea of a EU army, loyal to Brussels and of course, under German control. With clowns like her, the re-militarization of Germany needs watching.

[Sydebolle]

For the German foreign minister there is only one message; tell Merkel to get her chancellery in order and care about domestic German matters first .... they need it more urgently and the bush fire, specially in Eastern Germany is on. Beware, the sleeping dogs awoke and listen very carefully these days .......

[roobaa01]

@baerboxer incorrectly speculated why germany is participating already in large scale military  operations namely afghanistan, mali, mediterranian etc. 

 

wbr

roobaa01

[midas]

What on earth is this guy talking about?

The war is 97% over (in Syria's favour) although I know that doesn't suit quite a few people if they want an end to the crisis they should tell Israel to stop carrying out clandestine attacks  within Syria because sooner or later someone is gonna hit back

[roobaa01]

@midas absolutely correct but un , eu keeps it running for its not in their interest that syrians come home voting for assad. then assad would have a legal presidential mandate.

 

wbr roobaa01

[bristolboy]

On 4/22/2018 at 1:38 PM, roobaa01 said:

germany did not participate in the attack cause they were not asked. why was germany not asked for due to merkel's lack of creating an intelligent int. foreign policy , she had germany politically isolated internationally. maas is a political nonsense without the ability to implement a forceful german diplomacy. he is pale, stays pale without competence, proven already when he held the justice office.

 

wbr

roobaa01

 

 

 

I think Merkel clearly has an intelligent foreign policy. You want proof? She didn't participate in the Syrian intervention.

[roobaa01]

@bristolboy  how stupid not to partake in syria along with the main players and claiming a seat on the security council. how stupid to let millions of illegal muslims migrants entering germany spreading rape, crime, violence, antisemitism, terrorism. how stupid to destroy the diesel car industry. how stupid to proclaim the engery turn around, leading to second highest energy exspenses in europe. how stupid to waste euro 100 billion annually on illegal muslim migrants. how stupid to destroy the german armed forces endangering country security.

 

all merkels stupidity. i spent 50 years in germany and u ???

 

wbr

roobaa01

[bristolboy]

1 minute ago, roobaa01 said:

@bristolboy  how stupid not to partake in syria along with the main players and claiming a seat on the security council. how stupid to let millions of illegal muslims migrants entering germany spreading rape, crime, violence, antisemitism, terrorism. how stupid to destroy the diesel car industry. how stupid to proclaim the engery turn around, leading to second highest energy exspenses in europe. how stupid to waste euro 100 billion annually on illegal muslim migrants. how stupid to destroy the german armed forces endangering country security.

 

all merkels stupidity. i spent 50 years in germany and u ???

 

wbr

roobaa01

How irrelevant most of your comments are to the situation in Syria. And how exactly would German participation in the Syrian adventure affect immigration of refugees into Germany? How would German participation have made a difference? You may have lived in Germany for 50 years but it must have been on an island with no communications to the mainland, You think the German people want to participate with the US in its mideast debacle?

[roobaa01]

@bristolboy  i'm german and know better than u the country, its people and its politics.

 

wbr

roobaa01

[bristolboy]

2 minutes ago, roobaa01 said:

@bristolboy  i'm german and know better than u the country, its people and its politics.

 

wbr

roobaa01

You're not helping your case if you think that Germans are eager to assist the USA in the mideast.

And your alleged nationality is no proof of anything. There are about 80,000,000 Germans. I suspect there is a wide variety of opinion over there. And on this matter, it's clear that not Germans share yours. Your claim to speak authority for German public opinion is ridiculous and grandiose.

[maximillian]

On 22.4.2018 at 1:38 PM, roobaa01 said:

germany did not participate in the attack cause they were not asked. why was germany not asked for due to merkel's lack of creating an intelligent int. foreign policy , she had germany politically isolated internationally. maas is a political nonsense without the ability to implement a forceful german diplomacy. he is pale, stays pale without competence, proven already when he held the justice office.

 

wbr

roobaa01

 

 

So what are the German Tornados (recognisance aircraft) doing there ?

They give the coordinates to the US, UK and F armies.

They are involved, much more than what is good for Germany.

Heiko Maas is another fool in Merkel's horror cabinet.

[bristolboy]

4 minutes ago, maximillian said:

So what are the German Tornados (recognisance aircraft) doing there ?

They give the coordinates to the US, UK and F armies.

They are involved, much more than what is good for Germany.

Heiko Maas is another fool in Merkel's horror cabinet.

That's about the least the Germans could do. Next to nothing. Just a sop to the Americans.

[maximillian]

5 minutes ago, roobaa01 said:

@bristolboy  i'm german and know better than u the country, its people and its politics.

 

wbr

roobaa01

You're just another German AfD follower.

Regards from a fellow German.

[maximillian]

1 minute ago, bristolboy said:

6 minutes ago, maximillian said:

So what are the German Tornados (recognisance aircraft) doing there ?

They give the coordinates to the US, UK and F armies.

They are involved, much more than what is good for Germany.

Heiko Maas is another fool in Merkel's horror cabinet.

That's about the least the Germans could do. Next to nothing. Just a sop to the Americans.

The least ?  Better they would stay at home where we have more than enough problems to solve. The refugee crisis for example wouldn't be such a burden to all of Europe without the agressive USNATO invasions all over the Middle East and N.Africa.

A sop for the Americans ?  Yeah, my ar?e... they'd better stayed at home too.

Do you suggest German planes to bomb  Russian and Syrian targets ?  It's enough bombing and destruction already.

 

[bristolboy]

2 minutes ago, maximillian said:

The least ?  Better they would stay at home where we have more than enough problems to solve. The refugee crisis for example wouldn't be such a burden to all of Europe without the agressive USNATO invasions all over the Middle East and N.Africa.

A sop for the Americans ?  Yeah, my ar?e... they'd better stayed at home too.

Do you suggest German planes to bomb  Russian and Syrian targets ?  It's enough bombing and destruction already.

 

YOu were the one making a big deal out of German participation. I'm just pointing out that it amounts to very little. Whether or I support German participation or not is entirely irrelevant. That said, given the tenor of my very recent remarks in this thread , it seems blatantly obvious where I stand on that issue.

[maximillian]

59 minutes ago, roobaa01 said:

@bristolboy  how stupid not to partake in syria along with the main players and claiming a seat on the security council. how stupid to let millions of illegal muslims migrants entering germany spreading rape, crime, violence, antisemitism, terrorism. how stupid to destroy the diesel car industry. how stupid to proclaim the engery turn around, leading to second highest energy exspenses in europe. how stupid to waste euro 100 billion annually on illegal muslim migrants. how stupid to destroy the german armed forces endangering country security.

 

all merkels stupidity. i spent 50 years in germany and u ???

 

wbr

roobaa01

 

I spent 60 years in Germany so I must know better than you.

Foolish argument, indeed.

 

Looks like your thinking has been strongly influenced by Bild and Claus Kleber.

 

[roobaa01]

@maximillian  no im strongly influenced by franz josef strauss and alfred dregger as well as swiss paper nzz. i doubt that u know more than me being a party member for 25 yrs with a 5 yrs term in the local council .

 

wbr

roobaa01