German president urges Europe to do more for Iraq
Source: Reuters
BERLIN, Nov 10 (Reuters) - German President Horst Koehler took European countries to task on Friday for not doing more to help stabilise Iraq, saying it was foolish of them to leave the United States only to secure the country. "The war has led to a disaster, but we can't sit back and say it's a problem for the Americans. That would be dumb, short-sighted and arrogant," Koehler told the Saturday edition of the Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper. "We cannot allow the region to slide into chaos. We have a direct, existential interest in preventing this." A copy of the interview was provided to Reuters ahead of publication. A former managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Koehler has limited powers in the largely ceremonial post of president. But he can influence the national debate and has not shied away from controversial topics since being named to the position in 2004 with the support of Chancellor Angela Merkel. Koehler said the U.S. elections this week, in which the Democrats seized control of Congress from President George W. Bush's Republicans, could lead to greater demands from Washington for European help in Iraq. He said more financial aid and civil reconstruction help was needed from Europe to stabilise the region. "Ducking away and just watching is a worse alternative," Koehler said. He did not suggest Germany should send troops to Iraq, a move Merkel has ruled out, as did her predecessor Gerhard Schroeder. Under Schroeder, Germany joined France and Russia in staunchly opposing the U.S.-led 2003 invasion of Iraq. The differences between Berlin and Washington over the war led to the worst crisis in bilateral relations since World War Two. Germany has helped train Iraqi security personnel outside of the country and provided humanitarian aid in recent years.
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