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Germany at odds with US, France on Iran
has long made clear it will work with other powers provided two conditions are met. In the short term, any new sanctions should have Security Council backing, and in the long term the use of military force must be avoided, diplomats and analysts said.
A German government official has made it clear while talking to Reuters that despite US and French demand, the German government is not ready to go outside the UN for sanctions. It also doubts the EU could reach a consensus on its own sanctions.
Tomas Valasek, Director of Foreign Policy and Defense at the Centre for European Reform in London has expressed fear that "Across the political spectrum the war rhetoric might acquire its own momentum and become a self-fulfilling prophecy."
He said Germany might be trying to apply one of the lessons of the Iraq war -- intervene early to stop the escalating rhetoric.
Germany and France were strongly opposed to the 2003 US led invasion of Iraq but recently France has echoed US allegations that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program. The accusations come as a recent IAEA report has verified Iran`s non-deviation from peaceful purposes.
"Although France would possibly, under certain circumstances, support military pressure and even attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, Germany`s position today is a clear `no, under no circumstances`," said Alexander Rahr of the German Council on Foreign Relations.
China and Russia, which are keen to maintain strong economic ties with Tehran, have been persuaded by Germany, the United States, Britain and France, to keep up the pressure on Iran by backing two resolutions imposing limited sanctions.
Since it believes Moscow can be won over, Germany opposes Sarkozy`s idea of the EU imposing separate measures and wants to keep the sanctions drive at the Security Council -- even if takes a long a time to get results, diplomats say. But Berlin may reconsider the idea if the push for a third resolution fails due to Russian opposition, diplomats say.
A German official has said there is a bit of "hypocrisy in the French position". While Germany has been slashing its business dealings in Iran, France has overtaken Germany as the EU`s top exporter to the country. "Our businesses are not happy about the pressure to get out of Iran but they are complying," he added.
Diplomats have indicated that Russia and China want Iran to be given time to clear up outstanding questions about its past nuclear activities, based on an August 21 deal between Tehran and the UN nuclear watchdog.
Although France, Britain and the United States dislike the deal because it will give Iran up to four months to answer all the questions, Germany is willing to give it a chance, diplomats say.