Free Republic

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Tuesday said peaceful protests against police brutality in the United States were “more than legitimate” and called for press freedom for those covering the demonstrations. “The peaceful protests that we see in the US, involving many moving gestures, including by American police officers, are understandable and more than legitimate,” he told reporters at a news conference. “I can only express the hope that the peaceful protests don’t turn violent, and even more the hope that they will have an impact,” he added. […] “With regard to the incidents involving Deutsche Welle, of which we...

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has called for protests against right-wing extremism, claiming in an op-ed published in the Saturday edition of Bild newspaper that Germany “has a terrorism problem.” In the editorial, Maas responded to the recent murder of a German district president, Walter Lübcke, as well as death threats directed towards pro-migrant politicians Henriette Reker and Andreas Hollstein, the mayors of western German cities Cologne and Altena respectively. ”Eighty years after the beginning of World War II, politicians have again become victims of right-wing terrorists. Because of their beliefs. Because of their commitment to our country,” Maas wrote....

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has said that Europe should form a “counterweight” to the United States whenever Washington “crosses red lines.” In a guest article for German business newspaper Handelsblatt, Maas said Germany wants a “balanced partnership” with the United States, in which it “brings its weight where the US withdraws.” “Single-handedly, we will fail in this task. The main goal of our foreign policy is therefore to build a sovereign, strong Europe,” Maas wrote. […] Maas said Europe needs to set up payment systems independent of the US if it wants to save the nuclear deal. “That’s why...

On the day European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker reached a surprise deal on trade with Donald Trump, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas was standing in front of a wood-paneled government building 11,000 kilometers (6,800 miles) to the east. Maas was in Japan on his first trip to Asia as foreign minister, and expectations were high. “We share the same values,” said Maas, who is a member of the center-left Social Democrats, as his host, Japanese President Shinzo Abe, nodded. “In the current geopolitical situation, it is good to clearly emphasize this once again.” But the guest from Germany brought more...

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Wednesday spoke out over US President Donald Trump’s attempts to backtrack on comments he made during Monday’s Helsinki press conference with Vladimir Putin. Maas said Germany and other western allies demanded a “minimum degree of reliability” from Trump and his foreign policy. “It is, quite simply, extremely difficult to craft policies when the information or facts have a half-life of 24 hours. This will not work,” Berlin’s top diplomat added after meeting with his Chilean counterpart Roberto Ampuero. “This also seems to be the unanimous opinion within the United States,” he added. […] Germany’s...

Germany’s foreign minister says his government will exert “considerable efforts” to protect the Iran nuclear deal despite Berlin’s misgivings about Iran’s ballistic missiles program and its involvement in the Syria conflict. In a visit to Jordan, Heiko Maas called for a “firewall” between the nuclear deal and Iran’s other activities. Under the deal, Iran agreed to curbs and inspections on its nuclear program in exchange for relief from international sanctions. …

Germany’s new foreign minister has urged the Palestinians “not to tear down bridges,” an apparent reference President Mahmoud Abbas’ contentious relationship with the U.S. and political rival Hamas. Heiko Maas spoke Monday, after meeting with Abbas and the Palestinian foreign minister. Maas says the new German government remains committed to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Trump administration has refused to make such a commitment. …

Justice Minister Heiko Maas said this week that he wants to bring an end to the practice of tolerating polygamous marriages among immigrants in Germany. “No one who comes here has the right to place their cultural entrenchment or religious thinking over our laws,” Maas told Bild newspaper. “Therefore, no multiple marriages will be allowed to be recognized in Germany.” In Germany, marrying another person after you are already married is illegal and punishable by up to three years in prison. …