GERMAN FOREIGN minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has called for a “new era” of disarmament and a rethinking of the US missile defence shield after talks with US secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
In Washington yesterday, Mr Steinmeier said he was optimistic of a “new transatlantic relationship” with the Obama administration after “years of blockade” under former president, George W Bush.
But a fresh start in relations between Washington and Berlin is unlikely until Germany’s general election in September.
Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Christian Democrat (CDU) leader, has adopted a wait-and-see attitude towards the new administration.
Mr Steinmeier – the Social Democrat (SPD) chancellor challenger in September – is much more enthusiastic.
“I expect all sides to move toward resolving their differences on the disputed issue of the planned US missile-defence umbrella in eastern Europe,” said Mr Steinmeier in yesterday’s Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.
He discussed with Mrs Clinton the missile system developed by the Bush administration and which has caused strain in relations with Russia.
Prague and Warsaw have agreed to host the missiles and radar components of such a system which President Bush said was necessary to head off threats from Iran and other countries it viewed as “rogue states”.
Moscow viewed the establishment of the missile shield as a provocation, but softened its threat to point missiles at Europe in retaliation after President Obama said he would back the system only when the technology was proven to work.
Dr Merkel’s wariness of the new administration stems from a concern about military or financial demands on her administration in the run-up to the general election.
The Bush administration was anxious that Germany, at the very least, increase its troop numbers in Afghanistan.
But officials in the chancellery say Dr Merkel was impressed that, in her first telephone conversation with the new president after his inauguration, Mr Obama made no such demands.
Another prickly proposal is whether Germany is in a position to accept detainees when the US closes its military prison camp at Guantánamo Bay in Cuba by the end of the year.