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http://www.nj.com/breakingnews/index.ssf?/newsflash/get_story.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?a0545_BC_Germany-Terror&&news&tradecentercrash German foreign minister seeks to convince Greens that use of force abroad necessary By GEIR MOULSON The Associated Press 3/17/02 7:25 PM -Fischer has gradually pushed the Greens to accept German combat missions, notably in the NATO-led war against former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. Last November, Fischer issued an emotional plea at a party conference to avert a collapse of the government over pacifists' objections to committing German soldiers, planes and ships for the U.S.-led war on terrorism. BERLIN (AP) -- German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer sought to convince his fellow Greens that terrorism necessitates the use of military force abroad, but assured them Sunday that there was "no majority" among lawmakers for German participation in any attack on Iraq. Since Sept. 11, it has become "absolutely necessary that we put a stop to this Islamic terrorism with all the means we have," he said before the Green Party approved a revamping of its 22-year-old founding principles. But he told fellow members he was watching the debate on Iraq with concern. Speculation that Iraq may be targeted next in the U.S.-led war on terrorism has tested German solidarity, prompting Fischer last month to warn Washington against treating its allies as "satellites." "I want to say clearly that there is no majority in the German parliament for a German military participation," he said Sunday. The once thoroughly pacifist Green Party, founded in 1980 by anti-war and environmental activists, in 1998 became the junior partner in Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's government. But after backing decisions to send troops abroad and winning a slower-than-hoped phaseout of nuclear energy, the Greens are struggling to retain core voters ahead of national elections on Sept. 22. Fischer has gradually pushed the Greens to accept German combat missions, notably in the NATO-led war against former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. Last November, Fischer issued an emotional plea at a party conference to avert a collapse of the government over pacifists' objections to committing German soldiers, planes and ships for the U.S.-led war on terrorism. "Open your eyes -- it's not Joschka Fischer who's forcing you to do something, but reality is forcing it on us," he said Sunday. Delegates overwhelmingly endorsed the party's revised platform, which states that "force cannot replace politics" but says "the use of force authorized under international law and the constitution cannot always be avoided." Still, they inserted a target of making German deployments abroad subject to a two-thirds majority in parliament rather than the current simple majority. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Sports - live college hoops coverage http://sports.yahoo.com/ --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9617B Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
