Germany Plans To Deploy Armed Drones in Combat Abroad

Source :  SPIEGEL ONLINE

Bowing to pressure from the German armed forces, the Bundeswehr, the federal government in Berlin is preparing to deploy armed, unmanned drones in foreign conflicts. In an answer to an official query made by the far-left Left Party, which has been obtained by SPIEGEL ONLINE, the German government wrote that its experience in foreign combat operations has made it clear that reconnaissance vehicles must be armed "in order to provide protection against sudden and serious changes in the situation."

As opposed to unarmed surveillance drones, these aircraft could attack known targets in a "quick, precise and scalable" way, the document stated. "In addition, the new features would confront opposing forces with a permanent and unpredictable threat that would limit their ability to act." It went on to say that the weapons boost safety and security through "credible deterrence," pointing to the "Predator" drones used by the United States as a possible model.

The government decision on armed drones brings the German air force one step closer to implementing a long-standing plan to dramatically alter the country's drone fleets. Unlike the United States, Germany has only been using unarmed drones in combat. For aerial reconnaissance in Afghanistan, the Defense Ministry leases the drone model "Heron 1" from an Israeli consortium and also relies on drones built by the German company Rheinmetall. But the government's contract with the Israeli group runs out at the end of 2014, and the military has been searching for a replacement for some time now.

The move is likely to rekindle the debate within the government over fighter drones. Last year, the head of the German air force, Karl Müllner, landed in hot water shortly after assuming office for vehemently supporting the purchase of armed drone systems. At the time, the government remained cautious and called for a "broad discussion" in parliament before making any decision.

Nevertheless, Defense Minister Thomas de Maizière has always been open to having armed drones. "Aircraft are allowed to carry weapons, so why shouldn't an unmanned aircraft also be able to do so?" de Maizière, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said in an interview with the German daily Die Welt. "The new weapons have a huge advantage: They are more targeted. And the better one can target, the less damage there will be," he said.

Political Opposition to Plans

With its move, the German government is entering a political minefield. Even the use of unarmed drones is a issue of heated debate in Berlin. Drone opponents exist the world over, but many in Germany are concerned that drones will be misused to spy on people within the country. Criticism against armed drones is even sharper. Many security experts in the political arena point to the US's intensive reliance on drone warfare as a chilling example of the use of armed, unmanned machines -- the legality of which is questionable under international law.

Within Germany, politicians have been divided on the issue. Those within the CDU and the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) view drones as a necessary evil of security policy. Meanwhile, the Left Party, the Green Party and even many within the CDU's governing coalition partner, the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP), are opposed to the pl ARTICLE...plans.

"I'm vehemently opposed to the Bundeswehr's drone strategy," said Andrej Hunko, a parliamentarian with the Left Party. "I'm also critical of expanding the use of reconnaissance drones." Hunko said that he fears that such aircraft won't just be used abroad, but that they could be used domestically as well.

Green Party officials have also expressed their opposition to the move. "The government's plans to order armed drones are evidence of a blind and irresponsible handling of progress in terms of military technology," parliamentary group leader and chancellor candidate Jürgen Trittin told SPIEGEL ONLINE. "We oppose the government's plans. By lowering the bar for the use of military means, the deployment leads to a further blurring of the limits of military force. Procuring armed drones, if at all, can only proceed after the ethical issues and questions of international law have been successfully clarified."

Such sentiments are also being echoed by members of the opposition SPD, including senior parliamentarian Thomas Opperman, who told SPIEGEL ONLINE: "I'm opposed to a hasty decision because this brings a new quality to warfare. We need a broad societal and parliamentary debate about the ethical and legal boundries of the deployment of combat drones and not some backroom decision. It is entirely inappropriate that the public and parliament have learned of these plans more or less by accident."

The government, for its part, has refuted that suggestion. Unmanned flying aircraft of all kinds were "not intended to have the effect of escalating" conflict, it said in response to the Left Party's inquiry. In the future, they will be used "exclusively within the framework of their constitutional and mandated assignment."

Merkel begins sensitive trip to Turkey

Source : DW.DE

A new chapter in Turkey's EU bid?

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is scheduled to start a two- day visit to Turkey on Sunday. Topping the agenda are talks with Turkish Premier Erdogan on economic relations and the sluggish pace of EU membership talks. (23.02.2013)

German, Dutch ministers visit Patriot missile site

Chancellor Angela Merkel has begun a two-day trip to Turkey after hinting that Turkey's EU accession bid could be rejuvenated. A survey of Germans, however, shows that 60 percent oppose membership for Turkey.

Chancellor Merkel on Sunday visited some 300 German troops deployed at Kahramanmaras with Patriot missile units, as part of a NATO mission to deter a spillover of warfare from Syria. On Monday, she will meet Turkish leaders.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was quoted by Turkish media on Sunday as saying that he welcomed as "positive" Merkel's remark in her video podcast on Saturday that a "new chapter" could give "impetus" at accession talks amid a surge in trade between Turkey and Germany. Merkel had, however, added that a "long path of negotiations lies ahead." In recent years, Merkel has spoken of only a "privileged partnership" between the EU and Turkey, which applied for membership back in 1987. Talks began in 2005.

Lengthy negotiations

Turkey has completed only one of 35 policy "chapters" or negotiating topics to gain EU accession, with Brussels citing Turkish failings to meet EU standards on human rights and freedoms. Turkey has complained of a lack of support.

The German newspaper Bild am Sonntag published a survey conducted by the polling agency Emnid on Sunday showing that six out of 10 Germans oppose a Turkish EU entry. Thirty percent were in favor, the rest were undecided.

Citzenship debate

Ahead of Merkel's departure, Germany's opposition Social Democrats Party (SPD) on Saturday challenged long-standing opposition among Merkel's conservatives to dual nationality – a measure also favored by Turkey's Erdogan.

SPD chairman Sigmar Gabriel told the Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper that his party - if chosen in Germany's federal election in September - would adopt dual citizenship. "We need at this late stage a modern citizenship law," he said.

Almost three million people of Turkish origin live in Germany and form the largest group of foreign residents. Nearly half of them do not have a German passport.

A law provision adopted in 2000 requires youth of foreign origin born in Germany whose parents both come from non-EU nations to opt by the age of 23 for either German or their foreign nationality.

On Sunday the head of the youth branch of Merkel's CDU, Philipp Missfelder, dismissed the SPD's dual initiative, saying Germany's "option model" gave young people plenty of time to decide which single nationality they wanted to adopt.

The chairman of the association of Turkish communities in Germany, Kenan Kolat, told German NDR public broadcasting on Saturday that Germany would be "well advised" to regard multiple nationality not as a problem but as a chance. Hourly Update

Germany aims for concrete steps at Iran nuclear talks

Source : http://old.mehrnews.com

Germany aims for concrete steps at Iran nuclear talks

TEHRAN, Feb. 24 (MNA) – Germany’s Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said Saturday he hopes for concrete steps to build mutual trust at the talks about Iran’s nuclear program starting Tuesday in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

“Unfortunately, much time has been lost,” said Mr. Westerwelle in a statement, and “we want to reach the start of a substantial negotiation process about Iran’s nuclear program.”

The E3+3 group of the U.S., UK, Germany, France, Russia and China has made a reasonable offer and results are possible on this basis, he added.

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has confirmed the E3+3 will make an updated offer to Iran in a bid to persuade it to curtail its nuclear activities.

The Almaty meeting will be the first top-level meeting on Iran’s nuclear program since June. During that time, Tehran has significantly advanced its nuclear capabilities, according to U.S. and European officials.

On Thursday, the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, reported that Iran had installed nearly 200 of its more advanced centrifuge machines at the Natanz uranium-enrichment facility in central Iran. These machines are seen as capable of tripling the speed at which Iran grows its stockpile of fissile material.

The U.S. and some European countries accuse Tehran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Iran has always denied.

 

Germany Aims to Boost Operations in Mali

Source : defensenews.com

Bonn — Germany wants to send military trainers and medics to Mali and support operations there with transport and tanker aircraft, according to a Feb. 19 decision by the Cabinet in Berlin. Final approval rests with the German parliament, which is expected to cast a positive vote at the end of the month.

The country wants to support the European training mission to Mali with up to 180 soldiers. The German military is supposed to secure medical support for 450 European soldiers with a field hospital. The Bundeswehr will also send specialists to train pioneers and medics of the Malian Army.

The Cabinet also decided to extend its ongoing support of the military operations in the country. Currently, the Bundeswehr operates three Transall C-160 transport aircraft from neighboring Senegal. They are limited to transporting African troops to two airfields in Mali. Germany has already been criticized for this lack of direct support of French operations as well as its late arrival in the conflict.

The new mandate would allow the transport aircraft to operate anywhere in Mali. They can also directly support French forces assisting the African-led International Support Mission to Mali. On request of its ally, Germany also will send tanker aircraft to refuel French planes in the area. This mandate includes up to 150 soldiers.

Both mandates will run until Feb. 28, 2014, and are expected to cost about 55 million euros ($73.41 million) combined. The parliament would have to decide at that time whether to prolong operations.

Human chain blocks neo-Nazi parade in Dresden

Source : Voice of Russia

A human chain has blocked an annual neo-Nazi parade in downtown Dresden commemorating the anniversary of the city’s firebombing in 1945 by allied forces.

Some 13,000 anti-Nazi protesters have formed a human chain that sprawled along the Elbe River in front of the Dresden historical city center to bar the way of extreme right-wing activists who have notoriously been using the infamous Dresden bombing to spread their ideology.

Wednesday's demonstration marks the 68th anniversary of the bombing against the civilian population, which killed some 25,000 innocent people during World War II.

“It is unbearable that all manner of right-wing extremists are attempting to take advantage of the [day of commemoration] crusade of hate and revenge,” Dresden Mayor Helma Orosz was reported as saying.

Voice of Russia, RT

Report: Saudi Arabia Mulls German Patrol Boat Deal

Source : defensenews.com

FRANKFURT — Saudi Arabia is planning to buy German patrol boats for a total of around 1.5 billion euros ($2 billion) despite some opposition in Germany, a newspaper reported Feb. 10.

Germany’s federal security council, which includes Chancellor Angela Merkel, has issued a positive response to a preliminary request for the sale by the Bremen-based Luerssen shipyard, the Bild am Sonntag said.

The boats, worth between 10 million euros and 25 million euros each, are expected to be delivered to Saudi Arabia within two years after the contract has been signed, the paper said.

Thomas Oppermann, chief whip of the opposition Social Democratic Party, voiced criticism of the project.

“The German government apparently wants to completely arm Saudi Arabia and has learnt nothing from the public protests against supplying this country with weapons,” he was quoted as saying.

In December, the newspaper reported that Riyadh planned to buy at least 30 German armoured vehicles, known as Dingo 2.

German Government Wants To Boost Support for Malian Operation

Source : defensenews.com

BONN — The German government wants to extend its support for international and French operations in West African Mali, possibly including A310 MRTT-type tanker aircraft, military trainers and medical personnel.

Germany’s Air Force has already sent three C-160 Transall ESS transport aircraft with 75 soldiers to Dakar, Senegal. Their job is to transport troops of the Economic Community Of West African States to the Malian capital Bamako and Sevare-Mopti. In this context, the government made it clear on Jan. 16 that these troops would not support French forces in Operation Serval, the name given to the effort to defeat Islamist rebels in the country.

For the near future, the German government also plans to support the European Union training mission for Mali. This is expected to consist of about 40 personnel to train Malian forces in operations such as bridge building or mine clearance.

After a meeting on Mali in Bruxelles on Feb. 5, German Defense Minister Thomas de Maizière told the newspaper Der Tagesspiegel that Germany also offered a military field hospital with about 40 medics and soldiers.

Besides its involvement in international operations, Germany also wants to help the French Air Force directly. Currently, Germany’s A310 tanker aircraft are undergoing the certification process needed for the aerial refueling of allied aircraft, such as Rafale and Mirage fighter jets.

These additional offers still need approval by the German Bundestag. The German Cabinet may make final decisions on some of these issues during a Feb. 19 meeting. The parliament then could vote at the end of the month.

Close Merkel ally quits in German plagiarism scandal

Source : LBCI News

German Education Minister Annette Schavan resigned on Saturday after being stripped of her doctorate for alleged plagiarism, in an embarrassing blow to her ally Angela Merkel.

The move came four days after the University of Duesseldorf ruled Schavan, a close confidante to the chancellor, had "systematically and intentionally" copied parts of her thesis, and withdrew her Ph.D, granted more than 30 years ago.

"Annette Schavan offered her resignation last night," Merkel told reporters.

"I accepted this resignation with a very heavy heart," the chancellor added, saying Schavan was putting the public good ahead of her own welfare.

Merkel, who lost her defence minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg in a similar scandal two years ago, made no mention of the charges against Schavan.

Schavan, who said their friendship would last, reiterated she would fight the university's decision to strip her of her degree.

"I will not accept the decision and will take legal action against it," Schavan told reporters. "When an (education) minister sues a university, then that comes with strains, for my office, for the ministry, the government and for the Christian Democrats. I want to avoid just that."

While awkward for Merkel, Schavan's resignation is seen as unlikely to weaken the chancellor's chances to win a third term in elections on Sept. 22. Her Christian Democrats regularly poll above 40 percent, giving them an easy lead over the main opposition Social Democrats.

Former Iranian central bank head detained in Germany with check worth $70 million

Source : Vesti Kavkaza

Former Iranian central bank head detained in Germany with check worth $70 million

The German newspaper Bild am Sonntag reports that a man caught last month trying to enter Germany with a check worth about $70 million was Iran’s former central bank chief.The weekly reports that customs officials at Duesseldorf airport found the check in Tahmasb Mazaheri’s luggage Jan. 21 upon his arrival from Turkey.German customs had issued a statement Friday saying a check for 300 million Venezuelan Bolivars issued by the Bank of Venezuela was found on an unnamed 59-year-old man.

Germany, Italy protest at U.S. axing of missile defense funding

Source :  Reuters

Reuters) - Germany and Italy have told the United States they expect it to fulfill its obligations after the U.S. Congress blocked funding for a missile defense program involving the three countries, Germany said on Saturday.

A defense bill passed by Congress in December prohibited a final U.S. payment of $400.9 million for development of the Medium Extended Air and Missile Defense System, known as MEADS, which is being developed by Lockheed Martin with partners in Italy and Germany. U.S. lawmakers said Washington has no plans to produce the system.

The United States, Italy and Germany have spent about $4 billion to develop MEADS over the past decade as a successor to the Patriot missile defense system.

"I expect the United States to stick to their word and fulfill the MEADS contract," German Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere told reporters at the Munich security conference.

He said that, together with the Italian defense minister, he had sent a "pretty tough" letter to U.S. authorities driving this point home.

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta was doing all he could to ensure the United States fulfilled its commitments, de Maiziere said, although he acknowledged that the chances of the United States fulfilling the agreement had deteriorated.

Congress defied President Barack Obama's administration by axing funding for the program in a $633 billion bill authorizing funding for the U.S. military in fiscal year 2013.

The White House raised concerns about the bill before its approval, warning that a ban on MEADS funding could harm Washington's broader relationship with its allies.

Lockheed, the Pentagon and officials in Italy and Germany hope that congressional appropriators, who control the actual funding for arms programs, will still allow the Pentagon to fulfill its final funding obligations for the program.

Otherwise, they argue, the U.S. government may face termination fees nearly equal to the money required to finish the system, and could lose access to the technologies developed under the international program.

The Lockheed Martin-led consortium continues to work towards a fourth quarter 2013 flight test to prove the MEADS missile defense system can intercept a ballistic missile.

(Reporting by Sabine Siebold, writing by Adrian Croft; Editing by Jason Webb)

Munich security conference to focus on Syria, Mali, Iran

Source :   Xinhua

MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 500 experts and officials from around the world gathered for the 49th Munich Security Conference on Friday to discuss security issues related to Syria, Mali and Iran.

Officials including Joint Special Representative of the United Nations and the League of Arab States on Syria Lakhdar Brahimi, French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces President Sheikh Moaz Al-Khatib, and Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi are scheduled to attend the event.

"The appalling violence in Syria and Iran's nuclear program are topics that will be of critical importance over the next months, and maybe years," said Wolfgang Ischinger, chairman of the Munich Security Conference.

U.S. Vice President Joseph R. Biden, at his first visit to Europe since Barack Obama's second-term as U.S. president began, will give a speech in the conference on Saturday, and is expected to hold bilateral talks with Brahimi, Salehi, as well as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

On Friday, Biden urged Iran to return to negotiation table in an interview with German Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily, warning that time window for "successful diplomacy" would be kept open, "however, not unlimitedly."

The ongoing crisis in Europe, rising powers in Asia and Latin America, and cyber security will also be discussed.