GERMANY: Progress in Syria is visible, says foreign minister Westerwelle who warns it's too early for the all-clear

Record ID: 376714

  • Title: GERMANY: Progress in Syria is visible, says foreign minister Westerwelle who warns it's too early for the all-clear
  • Date: 17th April 2012
  • Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (APRIL 16, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF FOREIGN MINISTRY VISITING ROMANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER CRISTIAN DIACONESCU AND GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER GUIDO WESTERWELLE ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE MEN STANDING NEAR DOOR (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER, GUIDO WESTERWELLE, SAYING: "Progress is recognisable but there is no reason yet to give th
  • Embargoed: 2nd May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany, Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVALYZ184ZTB2PEPANPC7DGDLGD
  • Story Text: Progress in Syria is "recognisable," German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle told reporters in Berlin on Monday (April 16) but he warned it was too early for "an all-clear."
    Speaking during a joint news conference with his visiting Romanian counterpart, Westerwelle said "we all know that the situation is still very difficult and only once Kofi Annan's plan has been comprehensively implemented can we better analyse the situation."
    "We want a political solution and that's why both Romania and Germany supported Kofi Annan and his plan from the very beginning," Westerwelle said about the United Nation's special envoy for Syria.
    The German foreign minister also addressed the situation in Sudan, saying Germany was "very concerned about the increasing military tensions between Sudan and South Sudan."
    "We call upon both conflict parties to immediately stop their military hostilities. We expect from South Sudan the immediate withdrawal from the city of Heglig and talking to both sides, we demand that all open issues, including border disputes, be solved through dialogue."
    "Using violence to push through one's own interests is unacceptable and the German government strongly condemns this," Westerwelle said.
    Referring to Sunday's (April 15) attack on the German embassy in Kabul for which the Taliban claimed responsibility, Westerwelle said:
    "I am very happy that the terrorist attacks in Afghanistan could be stopped. I am also happy and somewhat relieved that it was the Afghan security forces who managed to fight against the terrorist attacks."
    Westerwelle warned the latest uprising was "not the end. We will have to count on further setbacks but the events showed how difficult the situation in Afghanistan still is."
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