- Title: Germany's Steinmeier says the question of war and peace has returned to Europe
- Date: 7th December 2016
- Summary: HAMBURG, GERMANY (DECEMBER 7, 2016) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF ATLANTIC HOTEL KEMPINSKI OSCE, EU AND GERMAN FLAGS ENTRANCE TO ATLANTIC HOTEL KEMPINSKI OSCE AND EU FLAGS GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER, FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER, ARRIVING TO GIVE STATEMENT PERSON TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER, SAYING: (AUDIO AS INCOMING) "We all, especially in Germany but many in Europe too, thought that the question of war and peace has been, at least on the European continent, resolved for good. At the very latest by 1990, at the very latest after reunification of the European continent. And in spring of 2014 we were forced to realise that this is not the case. The question of war and peace returned to the European continent with the annexation of Crimea and the Ukraine conflict, which we have not managed to resolve. Since then Europe is in a form of permanent crisis mode." CAMERA (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER, SAYING: (AUDIO AS INCOMING) "The next two days in Hamburg will be about strengthening the OSCE as the only organisation for the whole of Europe, widen its capabilities of effective crisis management and to keep or make it strong enough as a place for permanent dialogue amidst the increasing tasks for freedom and security in Europe. This is what we are going to discuss and dispute about at this conference." SMARTPHONE SCREEN RECORDING STATEMENT (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER, SAYING: (AUDIO AS INCOMING) "I am resisting any goodbye speeches, because we are a democracy and within a democracy one gets into new functions by election. The election has not taken place. Therefore, as I said yesterday and the day before at the NATO foreign ministers summit to all attempts to come up with a goodbye speech, that there has been no election and therefore it won't take place here either. It has been an exhausting year, I can assure you that, in and with the OCSE and I hope that it comes to a successful end and strengthens the organisation, beside that I don't think there will be much leeway for nostalgic feelings in the coming two days." VARIOUS OF POLICE IN FRONT OF ATLANTIC HOTEL KEMPINSKI U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, JOHN KERRY, MEETING WITH DELEGATIONS FROM UZBEKISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN AND TAJIKISTAN
- Embargoed: 22nd December 2016 16:59
- Keywords: Steinmeier Kerry OSCE peace Ukraine Crimea
- Location: HAMBURG, GERMANY
- City: HAMBURG, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Reuters ID: LVA0015BVUDS7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: AUDIO AS INCOMING
German Foreign Minister and current OSCE chairperson Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Wednesday (December 7) that the conflict in Ukraine had raised the spectre of war again in Europe.
"We all, especially in Germany but many in Europe too, thought that the question of war and peace has been, at least on the European continent, resolved for good. At the very latest by 1990, at the very latest after reunification of the European continent. And in spring of 2014 we were forced to realise that this is not the case," Steinmeier said at an address ahead of a two-day meeting of Europe's human rights watchdog in Hamburg.
"The question of war and peace returned to the European continent with the annexation of Crimea and the Ukraine conflict, which we have not managed to resolve. Since then Europe is in a form of permanent crisis mode," he said.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, on a farewell tour of Europe, joined Steinmeier in Hamburg on Wednesday for meetings with delegations from the Kyrgz Republic, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan as the two prepare to discuss the ongoing crises in Syria and Ukraine.
Steinmeier, who has been nominated by the broad German political spectrum, to become the next German president said he would not give any farewell speeches as foreign minister until he had been officially voted to the post.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is also due in Hamburg where he is likely to discuss safe passage for rebels out of the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo, a U.S. official said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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