Show of Support for Schröder from Blair

Gerhard Schröder’s refusal to support a military attack against Iraq has led to heavy criticism, both at home and abroad.

But on Wednesday, Europe’s most prominent supporter of military action in Iraq, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, defended Schröder’s policy, saying he did not believe Schröder’s stance was isolating Germany in Europe.

The first European leader to speak out on Germany’s disputed role in this issue, Blair said he believed that everyone recognised Germany’s position.

“I have never regarded Germany as isolated in all the major points,” he told the Berlin daily Tagesspiegel. He said that he did not think that Germany was isolating itself, and that the questions Germany had posed were absolutely reasonable.

Welcome change

Blair’s show of support is a welcome change to the increasing sharp winds blowing from across the Atlantic.

On Wednesday, US ambassador Daniel Coats expressed fear that German-American relations were being damaged by the chancellor’s opposition to military action.

Asked by a business audience in Frankfurt whether the issue was harming the German-US relationship, he said “yes”. He added that efforts were needed to repair the relationship, but was optimistic that “it is a challenge I believe we can overcome.”

Blair also expressed optimism that the dispute was surmountable. “Of course, they may be disagreements, but I am sure that in the end we will all work together in close cooperation," he said. "We shouldn’t overexaggerate the differences."

He said one could not speak of a crisis in the debate – Germany had expressed its opinion, “and we respect it”.

Close friendship

Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair enjoys a close friendship with Gerhard Schröder, ever since their shared political vision, usually described as the Third Way or New Centre politics, initially brought the two together.

On the German elections, Blair said he would work with the German government “no matter who the German people vote for." But he added that the outcome of the elections would be important for European social democracy, of which Blair and Schröder are leading figures.

Blair rejected accusations that Schröder was hoping to win voters with his tough stance on the Iraq issue. "If Germany had remained passive, Schröder could have made it a lot easier for himself in domestic politics,” he said. He referred to examples where Germany had played a vital role in foreign politics, including Kosovo and Afghanistan.

“No one, really no one, doubts Gerhard Schröder,” he said.

Iraq debate continues

The prime minister's remarks came amid intense dicussions between US and Britain over a resolution that would toughen the mandate for arms inspectors. A US official said Britain would take the lead in circulating a draft UN resolution late this week or next.

On the question of a military attack against Iraq, Tony Blair repeated the importance of weapons inspectors in the debate. “It holds true what I said in March when I met with US President Bush: Saddam Hussein’s regime is detestable. But the international demand is to let weapons inspectors back into Iraq any time and any place,” he said.

He said the central problem was the weapons of mass destruction and that the main aim was not to topple Hussein but to disarm him. “It is therefore very simple: Iraq must let them (the weapons) be made harmless," he said. "It is this demand which Saddam Hussein has to fulfill."