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German Cabinet Adopts New Defence Policy Manifesto
Berlin (AFP) Oct 25, 2006 The German cabinet on Wednesday approved new defence policy outlines that pave the way for the country to play a bigger role in international peacekeeping missions, Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung said. "The white paper sets out our perspectives for the future at a time when Germany prepares to take over the presidency of both the European Union and the G8" group of industrialised nations in 2007, Jung told reporters. He said Berlin was increasingly aware of its "international responsibilities" and the new defence manifesto reflected this. "We want an efficient defence force that is ready to respond to calls for help," Jung said. The document updated the government's criteria for deploying soldiers and increased the number which can be stationed abroad at any given time to 14,000. Jung said that although the reunified Germany wanted to play a bigger role in Europe, it would not neglect its obligations as a member of NATO. "NATO will remain the firm achor of German defence policy. Europe and NATO are not in competition," he said. The defence white paper is the first such document to be drafted in Germany since 1994. "That was before we deployed in the Balkans, in the (Democratic Republic of) Congo, and in Lebanon. And that was before September 11 unfortunately put us face to face with the threat of international terrorism," Jung said. In the past decade Germany has left behind a long-standing post-war taboo on deploying soldiers abroad. Former chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in 1999 sent German troops into combat for the first time since World War II when he committed airmen to the NATO bombing campaign in Kosovo in a move that met with strong opposition at home. Today there are some 9,000 Bundeswehr soldiers deployed in 11 foreign military missions, including in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan and Lebanon. The German cabinet on Wednesday decided to extend by a year the mandate of German troops taking part in the US-led campaign against terrorism, Operation Enduring Freedom. This allows the country to redeploy combat forces in Afghanistan where it has some 2,750 men heading up the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in the north of the country. The defence ministry has in recent months called for its budget to be increased but Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck has said more funding was not on the cards for the moment. Jung also on Wednesday responded to a scandal involving German soldiers in Afghanistan, after a newspaper printed photographs of the soldiers playing and posing with a skull. He said the soldiers involved were likely to face not only a military probe but criminal proceedings.
Source: Agence France-Presse Related Links Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com 
Germany's New Security Strategy
Berlin (UPI) Oct 26, 2006For the first time in 12 years, Germany has updated the strategy for its armed forces and security policy in a White Book that critics say lacks clear statements as to where Germany's security interests begin and end. |
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