-Caveat Lector- Greens Back Off Turkey Arms Threats By TONY CZUCZKA .c The Associated Press BERLIN (AP) - Germany's Greens, the junior government partner, backed off its threats Saturday to launch a nationwide campaign against German arms sales to Turkey. The Greens, citing alleged abuses by Turkey in its war with rebel Kurds, oppose a decision by the Social Democrat-led government to let Turkey test a single model of Germany's top battle tank, the Leopard-2. The dispute over a core Green issue - human rights in foreign policy - has heightened tensions in Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's year-old coalition. But the Greens' defense spokeswoman, Angelika Beer, backed off the party's earlier suggestion that it may launch a petition to mobilize public pressure against arms sales to Turkey. ``There certainly will not be any petition by the Greens against the coalition,'' she told North German Radio on Saturday. Greens general manager Reinhard Buetikofer suspended a threat to launch a public campaign until the coalition can discuss the matter at a meeting set for Monday. Schroeder has defended the tank delivery, saying the Greens' objections are ``far-fetched'' and Germany must be a reliable partner. He noted that Turkey is a NATO member and already uses the older Leopard-1. Opponents include Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, a Green. ``We want to lead Turkey toward the European Union with improvements,'' he told Berlin's Tagesspiegel newspaper. ``You can hardly count tank deliveries as an improvement.'' Defense Minister Rudolf Scharping, a Social Democrat like Schroeder, has strongly supported the move. Underlining the government's rift, a Saturday newspaper cited an internal Defense Ministry document that accuses Fischer of delaying German weapons sales to a range of countries, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, South Korea, Romania and Chile. The leaked document charges ``this wavering policy is harming our country's reputation,'' the Berliner Morgenpost report said. Turkey wants to test the Leopard-2 against competitors from several other NATO countries before placing a major order for new tanks. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
