Germany Limits Support for an Iraq War: Chancellor

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, November 28, 2002

Germany Limits Support for an Iraq War: Chancellor

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said on Wednesday that Berlin will only partially meet Washington's requests for support in the event of a US-led war against Iraq.

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German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said on Wednesday that Berlin will only partially meet Washington's requests for support in the event of a US-led war against Iraq.

Speaking at a press conference here, Schroeder confirmed that Washington has forwarded to Berlin a list covering a wide range ofsupport that Washington expects from Germany.

Schroeder said Germany will grant over-flight rights for war planes and free movement for troops from the United States and other NATO members, but he rejected the US request that a unit of German Fuchs armored vehicles deployed in Kuwait be used in the possible Iraqi war.

The 52 soldiers and six armored vehicles were sent to Kuwait tofight terrorism, he said, and the government will in no way act outside the parliamentary approval for that particular mission.

Schroeder also confirmed that Washington requires Germany's financial and material support in the aftermath of a war. However,it is most important to avoid the war and give a chance to the UN weapon inspections in Iraq, he said.

Berlin has repeatedly declared it will not participate in a possible war against Iraq, though it has some NATO obligations to fulfill.

Schroeder said Germany would dispatch two batteries of Patriot missiles to Israel to help beef up its defenses. He also indicated that Germany would agree to meet Israel's request for Fuchs vehicles which can be used in nuclear, biological and chemical warfare.

Germany is willing in principle to supply the Jewish state withpurely defensive weapons, and has a "historic and moral" obligation to do so, he stressed.

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