Schroeder Regrets Words That Hit U.S.-German Ties

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said on Saturday he deeply regretted "exaggerated remarks" critical of U.S. moves against Iraq (news - web sites) that soured his relations with President Bush (news - web sites).

In a further attempt to repair U.S.-German relations strained by his outspoken criticism, Schroeder said he was confident the dispute over Iraq would not cause long-term problems between the two countries.

"I deeply regret there were exaggerated comments -- also from cabinet members of my previous government," Schroeder told Der Spiegel magazine when asked if there were "grounds for self-criticism" for damage he caused to U.S.-German relations.

The declaration was the furthest Schroeder has gone in trying to mend fences with the U.S.

He and his center-left government had criticized U.S. steps against Iraq right up until the war started. In early April, Schroeder began making a slow retreat, saying for the first time he hoped U.S.-led forces would win the war quickly.

In speeches in his re-election campaign last year, Schroeder derided plans to attack Iraq as a military "adventure" that would "set ablaze" the Middle East, and angered Washington by refusing to send German troops to Iraq under any conditions.

Schroeder said Germany would not "click its heels" and follow the United States into a war.

His stinging criticism of the Bush government, including accusations it changed the goal of disarming Iraq to one of overthrowing President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites), was hugely popular in Germany and helped Schroeder come from far behind in surveys to beat challenger Edmund Stoiber in the September election.

Tensions were further worsened just before the election when Schroeder's Justice Minister Herta Daeubler-Gmelin reportedly compared Bush's political tactics with those of Adolf Hitler -- an analogy she partially denied. Schroeder accepted her resignation shortly after winning a second term.

But Schroeder's sharp language sent the traditionally close relations between the world's first and third largest economic powers into a tailspin. Commentators in Germany called the last eight months an "ice age." Bush Administration officials have called the ties "poisoned."

Bush pointedly did not congratulate Schroeder on his narrow victory. The two have not spoken since November. German media have reported Bush has declined to take calls from Schroeder.

"Even though differences of opinion on this question were so serious, it does not impair transatlantic relations," Schroeder said. "I think political leaders on both sides are professional enough to recognize relations are on a solid foundation."

Schroeder dismissed criticism he was making a U-turn to mend the dispute only after it became clear the United States would win the war.

"I view politics from a rational point of view, and do not like to ride in slipstreams," Schroeder said. "I don't have any problem at all cultivating contacts with the American president. They're necessary and desirable. But to measure this question on how long a handshake lasts is ridiculous."

Several German newspapers and television networks focused on a brief handshake between Schroeder and Bush at a NATO (news - web sites) meeting in November as an indication of the state of the ties.

MadIvan just posted this in another thread. Sounds like Schroeder is trying a CYA:

Germany's intelligence services attempted to build closer links to Saddam's secret service during the build-up to war last year, documents from the bombed Iraqi intelligence HQ in Baghdad obtained by The Telegraph reveal.

They show that an agent named as Johannes William Hoffner, described as a "new German representative in Iraq" who had entered the country under diplomatic cover, attended a meeting with Lt Gen Taher Jalil Haboosh, the director of Iraq's intelligence service. During the meeting, on January 29, 2002, Lt Gen Haboosh says that the Iraqis are keen to have a relationship with Germany's intelligence agency "under diplomatic cover", adding that he hopes to develop that relationship through Mr Hoffner.

The German replies: "My organisation wants to develop its relationship with your organisation."

In return, the Iraqis offered to give lucrative contracts to German companies if the Berlin government helped prevent an American invasion of the country.

The revelations come a week after The Telegraph reported that Russia had spied for the Iraqis, passing them intelligence about a meeting between Tony Blair and Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister. Both the British and Italian governments have launched investigations.

The meeting between the Iraqi and German agents took place some six months before Chancellor Schröder's Social Democrat-led government began its policy of direct opposition to the idea of an American/British-led war against Iraq. The policy was adopted in the heat of last year's German general election campaign, at a time when the Social Democrats were widely predicted to lose the contest. Mr Schröder was re-elected as Chancellor last September, largely because of the popularity of his government's outspoken opposition to the war against Iraq. The apparently verbatim account of the meeting between Lt Gen Haboosh and Mr Hoffner was among documents recovered by The Telegraph in the rubble of the Iraqi intelligence headquarters in Baghdad, which was heavily bombed.

During the meeting, Lt Gen Haboosh tells the German agent that Iraq has "big problems" with Britain and the United States. "We have problems with Britain because it occupied Iraq for 60 years and with America because of its aggression for 11 years," he says.

He adds, however, that Iraq has no problems with Germany and suggests that Germany will be rewarded with lucrative contracts if it offers international support to Iraq. "When the American conspiracy is finished, we will make a calculation for each state that helps Iraq in its crisis."

He also urges Mr Hoffner to lobby the German government to raise its diplomatic mission in Baghdad to full ambassadorial level. Mr Hoffner says that it would be a decision for the German foreign ministry, but Germany's diplomatic presence in the Iraqi capital made it easier for him to enter Iraq because he was able to use diplomatic cover.

Last night, a spokesman for the German government said it was "well known" that it had been offered lucrative contracts by Baghdad providing it maintained an anti-Iraq war stance. "Iraq made these kinds of promises before the war and praised Germany for its position," he said.

Iraqi police handed Saddam Hussein's finance minister to American forces after capturing him in Baghdad, raising hopes of tracing billions of dollars the ousted dictator may have spirited away. Hikmat Ibrahim al-Azzawi, who was also a deputy prime minister, is number 45 on America's list of 55 most-wanted Iraqis.

I can give everyone 140+ reasons why the apology of Schroedinger ChIraq and Puthen are worth ZERO. I can direct everyone to a very long list of thier names. A unified front would have pushed Saddam out probably with much fewer casualties. But thier desires to prop up a totalitarian regime and profit from it,block a UN action, have casued this rift. It's thier bed now they can sleep in it! Keep in mind GWB cant force me to go to France,Germnay or Russia, he can't make me buy thier goods. But I can make GWB hear me and many others about "bringing" home our fallen soldiers from "foreign lands"! And yes I am one of the ones that is Calling/faxing my congressman and Senators offices till they "get" the picture too! This way many Americans will not be forced to "patronize" those nations.

and let's not gorget Germany allow overflights over its airspace during the war...it could have block us from using its airspace..and in afghan, the germans are playing a leading role in keeping the peace there...if germany block the airflights over its space, our boys from uk has to fly across spain then turn sharply eatward to strike iraq - takes an extra 3 hrs of flight and limit the time spent over iraq in target drops..

I think you shouldn't forget that we allow a wing of the Luftwaffe to lease and fly out of a U.S. base in the Southwest. Germany probably understands that if they denied us overflights, we'd kick the Luftwaffe out of America. It's a favor we do for their military and our own citizens aren't that happy about it.

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