German military intervention in Syria hypothetical: spokesperson

Source
Xinhuanet
Editor
Chen Zhuo
Time
2018-09-11

BERLIN, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- A German government spokesperson said Monday that it is in talks with allies about a military deployment in Syria in case of chemical weapons attack in Idlib, but a German deployment is very hypothetical.

Steffen Seibert, the government's spokesperson, said that in Berlin's perspective no situation had yet arisen in which such "a decision would have to be made".

Seibert thus refrained from making threats like those of the United States to react with force in the hypothetical event of a chemical weapons attack in the embattled Idlib region of Syria.

Seibert added that Berlin was "deeply concerned" about a potential repetition of "terrible patterns" in the Syrian war and was hence in close contacts with its allies and partners in the region, including the United States, to prevent a further escalation of hostilities.

Earlier, German newspaper Bild reported that the German ministry of defense was in the process assessing whether Tornado fighter jets, which are currently used for reconnaissance efforts in the international effort against the so-called Islamic State jets, could also be made available for a military strike against targets of the Syrian government.

German defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen was hereby considering joining an alliance formed by the United States, France and Britain which already launched an attack in response to the alleged use of chemical weapons by Syrian forces back in April, according to the Bild report.

In order for Germany to participate in any prospective military strike against the Syrian government, a majority of delegates in the country's federal parliament (Bundestag) would have to approve the military action.

A defense ministry spokesperson told the German press agency (DPA) on Monday that a German military intervention in Syria was a "very hypothetical case", but added that it would be "a matter of fact that all armed forces in the world plan in scenarios and must do so, too".

 

 

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