Powell Report Fails To Sway Germany

Germany's anti-war stance remains unchanged following the U.S. report to the United Nations on Wednesday. Government spokesman Béla Anda said Berlin "welcomed" the extensive information presented by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell.

"Germany is just as concerned as others about the indications that Iraq continues to possess weapons of mass destruction," Anda said in an official statement on Thursday. Together with the majority of Security Council members, Germany demands that the presented facts be handed over to the U.N. weapons inspectors to be verified, he said.

Anda stressed that the inspectors needed the "required time and necessary measures" for their work. He said Germany would support France's initiative to intensify the inspections.

"The German government will continue with all of its powers to speak for a peaceful settlement of the conflict," Anda said.

Germany equals Libya and Cuba?

Berlin has not reacted to statements by U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld putting Germany in the same category as Libya and Cuba.

Testifying at a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, Rumsfeld (photo) said these three countries had ruled out any role in a possible U.S.-led attack on Iraq or post-war reconstruction.

According to Rumsfeld, a "pretty good group of countries" had indicated they would help rebuild Iraq after any departure of President Saddam Hussein.

"Then, there are three or four countries that have said they won't do anything," he said. "I believe Libya, Cuba and Germany are ones that have indicated they won't help in any respect."

Rumsfeld did not name any other countries as having ruled out a role, not even the four blacklisted by Washington as alleged state sponsors of terrorism along with Iraq, Libya and Cuba: Iran, Syria, Sudan and North Korea.

Economic implications

The U.S. ambassador in Berlin, Daniel Coats, has attempted to tone down Rumsfeld's statements. In an interview with the daily Berliner Zeitung, Coats said the defence secretary was not speaking for the U.S. government.

But Coats said the German government, together with France, had weakened the pressure on Saddam Hussein. "What an irony: the two countries that had persistently pressured the U.S. to refrain from using violence became active in a manner which makes the use of military force more likely," he said. "This is extremely frustrating."

Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and France's President Jacques Chirac had demanded more time for the U.N. weapons inspectors shortly before chief inspector Hans Blix presented his report at the end of January.

According to Coats, Germany should be worried about the consequences. "Serious doubts have arisen in the American public whether Germany is still a dependable partner," he said. "This harms our relations and it certainly harms Germany."

He added that this could also have economic repercussions. "There is always the possibility that behavior in other areas could also influence economic relations."