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The Tehran-Berlin Axis

[Wall Street Journal Europe] Matthias Kuntzel - The Iranian media reported that Iranian Vice Foreign Minister S.E. Mehdi Safari visited Berlin for three days in mid-April at the invitation of the German government, where he met with officials at the foreign, interior and economics ministries, as well as with lawmakers and businessmen. It is strange, to say the least, that neither the German government nor the media said a word about the visit. While Chancellor Angela Merkel argues for tougher sanctions if necessary to stop the Iranian bomb, Germany's foreign policy establishment preaches accommodation, even a "strategic partnership" with Iran. "Sanctions get us nowhere," wrote Christoph Bertram in the weekly Der Spiegel last month. Bertram used to head the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London and later the German Foundation for Science and Politics, a think tank that advises the government and parliament on foreign policy. According to Bertram, the West must recognize "the immense advantage of a close and cooperative relationship with this country [Iran]." After slowing between 2005-2007, German exports to Iran surged 13% in January. Germany is the world's second largest exporter to Iran, and its products are crucial for Iran's economic survival.
2008-05-15 01:00:00
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