Westerwelle: Disarmament is the Most Important Issue

Enlarge image (© picture alliance/dpa)

Federal Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle took stock of German foreign policy to date.  In doing so, he underscored that the German government was lobbying internationally for the elimination of nuclear weapons and for arms control.  In the Middle East, the government was striving for direct peace negotiations.  Some progress had also been made on the domestic front, which was now having a positive impact on the labor market.

“Disarmament and arms control are a task for humanity,” Westerwelle stressed in a press conference in Berlin on August 4.  “If we do not take care, a decade of military build-up could also lead to nuclear materials and weapons falling into the hands of terrorists,” he warned.  “That is a threat to our global security and peace.”

Total elimination of nuclear arsenals

Minister Westerwelle viewed the Review Conference on the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which took place in New York in May, as a success.  “It is indeed remarkable that for the first time all the participating countries embraced the aim of totally eliminating all types of nuclear weapons.”  This was an important contribution to disarmament and nonproliferation, he added. Enlarge image (© picture-alliance – landov) The new Start Treaty between the United States and Russia is another milestone in cooperation on disarmament policy.  Germany expressly supports this cooperation, Westerwelle said.  “We are optimistic that truly comprehensive movement toward disarmament in the world, and not just between these two states, will be able to emerge from this new Start Treaty.”

The Federal Government has spurred a discussion on nuclear weapons within NATO as well.  In this context, Westerwelle welcomed the U.S. readiness to reduce the significance of nuclear weapons.  “This is also important for us as Germans, because the Federal Republic has set the long-term goal of removing the remaining nuclear weapons from Germany.”

Middle East: Direct peace negotiations necessary

The Foreign Minister made clear that events in the Middle East were cause for concern.  “We appeal to all the concerned parties to keep a cool head and act constructively.”  The radical forces that were sabotaging the path to peace in the region had to be thwarted, he added.

Germany remains committed to the two-state solution, the Foreign Minister stressed.  That is why the Federal Government is striving for a start to direct peace negotiations.  The Arab League had also now given its tacit approval to direct negotiations.  “That is a very encouraging signal, which the conflicting parties should absolutely seize.”

Initial positive assessment of domestic policie Enlarge image (© picture-alliance/dpa)
“The Federal Government has made some progress on the domestic-policy front, which is now reflecting positively in the economy and in the labor market,” Westerwelle asserted.  Providing relief to families and empowering small and medium-sized businesses, and in particular family businesses, had contributed to the positive trend in the labor market, he said.

Westerwelle went on to say that the Federal Government had adopted a budget designed to achieve fiscal consolidation.  “There will be cuts,” the minister stressed.  Only investments in education and research would not be reduced.

The minister said there had been enormous debate over healthcare policy.  This was unavoidable, according to Westerwelle, because the healthcare system, like all social security systems, must be made sustainable.

In summing up, Westerwelle said there had been difficulties at the outset, but the results of the federal government’s policies “warrant an initial positive assessment.”

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