Posted on 09/11/2001 1:20:42 PM PDT by Gumption
Schroeder says US attacks were war declaration against civilized world |
||
| Tuesday, 11-Sep-2001 12:20PM | Story from AFP Copyright 2001 by Agence France-Presse (via ClariNet) |
|
BERLIN, Sept 11 (AFP) - German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder condemned on Tuesday the terrorist attacks in the United States as "a declaration of war against the entire civilized world."
"Whoever backs this terror, violates the laws of the civilized world," Schroeder told reporters.
The chancellor called a meeting of his federal security council Tuesday and said in a message to US President George W. Bush that the German people stood by the United States.
An interior ministry spokesman said all German administrations were "on the highest alert" and that there was a crisis meeting taking place to coordinate security measures in Germany.
Officials said security was being reinforced at US buildings, such as the embassy, in the German capital.
Flags at official buildings in Germany were flying a half-mast.
"The German people stand in these difficult hours by the side of the United States of America," Schroeder said in his message to Bush.
"We have learned with horror about the deplorable terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and on the Pentagon in Washington, in which so many people have lost their lives," Schroeder said.
"I want to express to you and the American people my hearfelt sympathy and my unlimited solidarity."
Schroeder was to meet later Tuesday with German political party leaders to discuss the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, two symbols of US financial and military power.
Schroeder cancelled his participation in a so-called "reformers summit," joining 14 heads of state and government from centre-left European governments, near Stockholm on Saturday, a government spokesman said.
Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer is "horrified and shocked" by the apparent terrorist attacks in the United States, officials in his ministry said.
Fischer went immediately to meet with Schroeder for a crisis session after the incidents, which included two planes crashing into the World Trade Center in New York.
The German lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, suspended its debate on Germany's 2002 budget Thursday in sympathy after the spate of attacks.
"We should not act as if we could just continue the debate," the acting speaker Anke Fuchs said.
The US embassy in Berlin and US armed forces in Germany both declined to comment on what if any measures they were taking.
Germany halted all plane departures to the United States, the German aviation authority said.
The German stock market suspended all trading in US shares, initially for one hour.
The blue-chip DAX 30 index plunged on Tuesday afternoon, tracking US futures markets, after the attacks began.
The German capital's new Jewish museum decided not to open its doors to the public on Tuesday evening, contrary to original plans, in the wake of the attacks.
The museum would probably only be open to the public from Wednesday, a spokeswoman said.
A number of theatre performances in Berlin were cancelled.
Putin says world must unite to combat "plague of 21st century" |
||
| Tuesday, 11-Sep-2001 12:10PM | Story from AFP Copyright 2001 by Agence France-Presse (via ClariNet) |
|
MOSCOW, Sept 11 (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said the world should unite to combat the threat of terrorism, "the plague of the 21st century," following a spate of unprecedented terrorist attacks in US cities.
I presume Schroeder refers to the west and NATO as the "entire civilized world"...somewhat presumptuous coming from one of those involved in the 1999 military aggression in the Balkans. This looks a little bit like "pay back" for Belgrade 99.
I presume Schroeder refers to the west and NATO as the "entire civilized world"...somewhat presumptuous coming from one of those involved in the 1999 military aggression in the Balkans. This looks a little bit like "pay back" for Belgrade 99.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.