Schröder Stands By Anti-War Stance

With the sunshine pouring into the German parliament, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder strode to the speaker's podium on Thursday with a message of peace for lawmakers worried about war.

"That is possible," the chancellor said, his right hand rising and falling to stress his hopes for a non-violent solution in the conflict with Iraq. "And we are fighting for that."

Schröder took to the podium as part of a parliamentary debate called to discuss his opposition to President George W. Bush's drive to wage a possible war against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Rejecting Bush's approach once again, the chancellor said the United Nations needed to intensify its weapons inspection program in Iraq in order to avoid war. "Every conceivable possibility of avoiding war must be exhausted," the chancellor said.

Powell expresses his doubts

Schröder spelled out his position a day before chief U.N. weapons inspectors Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei make their second report to the U.N. Security Council. Secretary of State Colin Powell said in Washington on Thursday that he would confront Germany and another critic, France, at the United Nations on the issue of new inspections.

"The question I will put to them is: Why more inspections? And how much more time?" Powell said. "Or are you just delaying for the sake of delaying in order to get Saddam Hussein off the hook and no disarmament? That's a challenge I will put to them."

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a supporter of Bush, argued against Schröder's approach as well. Blair pointed to reports from U.S. and U.N. officials on Wednesday that said international experts had concluded the range of some Iraqi missiles exceeds the 93 miles allowed under U.N. resolutions passed in the aftermath of the 1991 Gulf War. Blair said on Thursday that the findings showed the "futility" of European calls for continued weapons inspections.

In the international debate, Schröder is counting on French President Jacques Chirac and Russian President Vladimir Putin, both of whose countries have veto power on the U.N. Security Council. During a visit to France, Putin stressed on Thursday that Russia was ready to use this veto if necessary to block a war.

Division develops within NATO

The inspection issue is one of two diplomatic questions that have split Germany and the United States, the long-time protector of West Germany and a strong supporter of German reunification in 1990. The other question involves a U.S. request to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that it should begin planning to provide military support to Turkey if the United States launched a war against Iraq and Saddam then struck his northern neighbor. Germany joined France and Belgium on Monday in vetoing the request, triggering an intense effort by NATO Secretary General George Robertson to seek a compromise. As of Thursday, however, Robertson had been unable to change the three countries' minds.

In his speech to the parliament, Schröder touched on both issues.

In the direction of the United States, he said Germany would not change its opposition against a possible war on Iraq. "The German government answered this question with no, and that is the way it will stay," Schröder said. He then offered one reason for his stand. Such a war "would have a devastating effect on the international fight against terrorism," he said.

The chancellor also directed a message to the American people. "For a long time now, Germans and Americans have been bound together by much more than our gratitude for our liberation from the Nazi dictatorship and the chance for democracy," he said. "We are bound together by cultural ties that extend deep into the everyday lives of both sides. And we are bound together by a friendship based on mutual respect and the pursuit of common goals. And this friendship must withstand differences of opinions over important questions."

Schröder pledges aid to Turkey

In the direction of NATO, Schröder played down the alliance's disagreement over the plan to support Turkey. "If a partner is attacked, then we will come to his defense," Schröder said.

The alliance dispute is seen by others, including Roberston, as one of NATO's most serious disagreements in its 53-year history.

In hopes of reaching an agreement, Robertson has developed a compromise that is void of many elements in the original U.S. request, sources have said. The basic plan contains provisions to deploy airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft that would provide surveillance, Patriot missiles that would offer air defense, and special forces that would combat biological and chemical weapons. Gone from the request are provisions to provide protection for U.S. bases in member countries and to replace American troops in the Balkans, the sources said.

Germany's defense minister, Peter Struck, said on Thursday that he expected a solution would found no later than Saturday and that he expected this solution "would absolutely correspond to the interests of Turkey." Struck also issued an unusually strong criticism of U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for his recent statements lumping Germany with Cuba and Libya for its Iraq policies. Struck described Rumsfeld's statements as "un-American" and "more than impertinent."

Merkel attacks chancellor's position

After Schröder finished his speech, the leader of Germany's biggest opposition party outlined a position that contrasted with Schröder's, saying her party could not rule out the need for a war against Iraq.

Angela Merkel, who leads the Christian Democratic Union, also attacked the chancellor for his criticism of her party's position, saying Schröder "was branding the opposition of this land as warmongers."