Posted on 03/16/2003 3:04:42 AM PST by longjack
Iraq Crisis
March 16th, 2003
Within the past weeks it has apparently been the aim of German foreign policy to isolate America in the United Nations Security Council. This is shown in a confidential wire report of the German UN ambassador, Pleuger. It concerned impeding the latest attempts for consensus with America and, therefore, to force Washington to go it alone against Iraq. The report has been made available to the “Frankfurter Allgemeinen Sonntagszeitung”.
At the same time, there are considerations in the Federal Government to use the issue of the reconstruction after a war as a means, in the wording of the State Department, to "buy itself” back into German American relations. In the opinion of SPD representatives, Federal Chancellor Schröder is considering a reconstruction plan worth billions and probably wants to use this as grounds for a temporary easing of the EU stability pact.
“Don’t be exploited by America”
In Pleuger's encoded wire report of February 21, which was widely distributed in the Foreign Ministry, the ambassador describes in undiplomatic openness the differing interests in the Security Council to the wording of a second resolution. This would have legitimized actions against Iraq according to the will of America, Great Britain and Spain. The matter is, Pleuger writes, "whether the military disarmament of Iraq shall be carried out with or without consent of the Security Council". Thereby, Pleuger supported the emerging position of several nations which didn't want to seek consensus with America within the UN at all. He describes this position with the words that, "It is better if the Security Council doesn’t let itself be exploited by the US". Behind this was an attempt, also supported by Germany, to put America in a position in which it could only act unilaterally.
Hoping for Washington to fold later on
If the Security Council couldn’t be exploited, that is, that “The USA”, had to, “ proceed unilaterally”, one would then hope for Washington to fold later on vis-à-vis the UN. It is assumed in New York, "in view of the dimension of the reconstruction which can not be handled alone", that America would “'remorsefully' turn back to the Security Council”. Pleuger writes implicitly: “I also tend towards this opinion”. “In order to strengthen the front line position of the America critics in the Security Council against, according to Pleuger, the "U.S. lobby machine", the diplomat allocates a central role to Germany: "Our actions", especially, “send important signals” to non-permanent members. A spokesman for the Foreign Office didn't want to make a statement to the “Frankfurter Allgemeinen Sonntagszeitung” about the contents of the wire report. He said, however, that this report would be merely a "momentary snapshot of an opinion forming process in the Security Council" The CDU politician on foreign affairs, Pflüger , said, when asked, the document confirms, "that the Federal Government is working actively against its ally America in the Security Council". This behavior "will bring about a lasting loss of trust and will deeply damage NATO.
Berlin wants to “relieve tensions” through reconstruction aid
Pleuger’s view that the reconstruction of Iraq may lead to new cooperation with America are apparently a reason for deliberations in the Federal Government regarding financial and military construction aid. As has been learned, the American Foreign Undersecretary, Grossman, had already formulated preliminary wishes for reconstruction to the Europeans at NATO in Brussels two weeks ago. This would be, as is said in the Berlin Foreign Office, a good opportunity to “relieve tensions” in German American relations. The SPD Parliamentary fraction Chairman in the Bundestag, Müntefering told the “Frankfurter Allgemeinen Sonntagszeitung”, "When there are war damages in the world, all nations are called upon to share in the costs for reconstruction."
You may read everything about the confidential wire report in the “Frankfurter Allgemeinen Sonntagszeitung” today.
FAZ.NET
"FAZ" : Berlin plante Isolierung Amerikas im Sicherheitsrat
Translated by longjack
longjack
I bet this is just jockying for power in the EU though. France and Germany want to be leaders of an EU superstate.
One may ask why
The answer is both France and Germany pushed hard last summer to raise a UE army ----- And as you know that was turned down --
Using america's "imperialism" and the notion that only a united european army could counter the US they probably planned to reintroduce this idea next summer
And you know that would mean tossing nato as well
Let me speculate a little farther and say that I see in the cards an alliance of europe and russia -- think on the meaning of that one for a bit.
Yes. I saw the German UN Ambassador on 'FOX News' the other day. He seemed a self-righteous sort. This may make an interesting topic for an interview.
longjack
It is assumed in New York, "in view of the dimension of the reconstruction which can not be handled alone", that America would “'remorsefully' turn back to the Security Council”.
It appears that Germany "misunderestimated" Herr Bush.
I imagine the Israelis already have. According to what I've read, it ain't good.
Deutchland was gonna feel Herr President Bush's pain?
And remorse?
They really don't understand the Texan they're dealing with.
You're correct.
The German word in the original article, 'reumütig', unequivocally means remorseful. The word was also encased in quotes in a quotation in the original article. I would guess the word remorseful was in the encoded report they are talking about.
The other word, which wasn't put in quotes, but was used in a paragraph title and in the paragraph to describe the hopeful outcome of the ploy, was 'einknicken'. This means to "fold up". You would use it in German to describe folding up a jackknife. The use of the term in article is in a derogatory sense, but I think the newspaper was using the language of the report in describing the situation.
So, the actions were considered so that the US would have to come 'crawling back' to the UN, IMHO. Wrong choice.
longjack
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