-Caveat Lector- Berlin tirade widens rift with Washington http://www.guardian.co.uk/germany/article/0,2763,895348,00.html Franco-German axis Schr�der signals further opposition to military strike
John Hooper in Berlin and Ian Black in Brussels Friday February 14, 2003 The Guardian The German defence minister yesterday reignited his government's simmering dispute with Washington, lashing out at his US counterpart, Donald Rumsfeld, for remarks he described as "un-American" and "more than impertinent". Peter Struck's angry riposte, after months of taunts and slights from the US defence secretary, was at odds with his claim that an end was in sight to Berlin's quarrel with Washington in Nato. Backed by the US, Turkey has asked that plans be drawn up for it to receive surveillance planes, Patriot missiles and biochemical protection units in the event of war with Iraq. The alliance has been paralysed on the issue by German, French and Belgian vetoes. During a heated debate in the German parliament, Mr Struck said: "We will reach a decision in the Nato council at the latest on Saturday - after the sitting of the security council - which corresponds fully to the interests of Turkey." Mr Struck's assurance implied that a deal had been done behind the scenes on an issue some officials have warned imperils Nato's very existence. But there was little sign of a compromise in Brussels where alliance ambassadors yesterday cancelled another crisis meeting on Nato. France said last night that its position was unchanged: defence planning could suggest support for military action against Iraq and "prejudge security council decisions," said a French foreign ministry spokesman. Meanwhile the EU has invited the UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, to an emergency summit that has been called to try to heal Europe's divisions. Yesterday Tony Blair rang a number of European colleagues and also wrote a stern letter to the EU's Greek presidency, urging that the summit, on Monday in Brussels, did not back away from the threat of military action. Mr Annan's presence will underline the importance Europe attaches to following the UN route. Germany has been seething since Mr Rumsfeld last week bracketed Germany with Cuba and Libya as nations that had withheld support for the US build-up against Iraq. "It's just unacceptable," said Mr Struck. "It's beyond impertinent. It is even un-American when one considers fairness is practically an American virtue." Chancellor Gerhard Schr�der had earlier given a vigorous defence of Germany's position. Staking a claim to the moral high ground, Mr Schr�der told MPs: "The chief duty of international politics is to prevent war. No politics of expediency or security doctrine should lead us to become accustomed to war as normal political means." In a remark suggesting Germany was bent on opposing a second UN resolution authorising military action, he said: "To reject a war is not to be condemned to appeasement." Guardian Unlimited � Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003 Forwarded for your information. 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