Germany's Position on Iran: Now and Then

Remember the enthusiasm about Germany's patient, nuanced, diplomatic approach vis-à-vis Iran?

Schröder thanks Fischer for his role in successful negotiating effort in Iran Thu, 10/23/2003

Speaking at a cabinet meeting Chancellor Gerhard Schröder thanked Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer for his part in the successful negotiating effort carried out by three EU foreign ministers in Iran. The results of their trip demonstrate the success of a strategy of cooperation, Schröder said.

Sure. Not the kind of shoot-from-the-hip approach so typical for a certain American administration... The good old European tactic. Patient. Result oriented. Cooperative.

And here's the rest of the story, as they say:

EU: Statecraft not working on Iran; sanctions seem vital

Oct. 18, 2006
The European Union said its diplomacy is failing to curb Iran's nuclear program and the United Nations should act on U.S.-led demands for sanctions against the Islamic nation.

EU foreign ministers said the door is open for the U.N. Security Council to discuss sanctions against Iran for refusing to stop uranium enrichment, which can be used for nuclear power or bombs. Europe is offering Iran trade benefits in return for halting the nuclear activity.
"It's unavoidable that the Security Council will now take up deliberations with the goal of a resolution and the first step on sanctions," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said at a meeting with his EU counterparts Tuesday in Luxembourg.

Just wonder what Joschka is doing these days... Teaching international crisis diplomacy at Princeton?

I mean, the guy sure knows a thing or two about how to deal with dictatorships!

Comments

[Gabi]

The link "Schröder thanks ...." does not work or is it just my computer?

Note from David: Unfortunately, the German government's web site is quite unreliable when it comes to link durability. The old link is no longer valid, and I assume they have removed the original document. Go figure...
I therefore use the link to our posting where we quote Schroeder.

[WhatDoIKnow]

This shows, once again, the complete lack of vision of Schröder (and Fischer), politicians who managed to drag the US-German relationships to a historical low level. Schröder should have never risen above the level of a Ministerpräsident.

OTOH, this entire EU-Iran "negotiation" process was ridiculous from the very beginning. The only thing more ridiculous than that was the chest-beating of many in the EU. I remember witnessing this in total amazement when I was in Germany, at a time when the outcome of the "negotiations" was obviously unknown and potentially meaningless.

The one and only rational explanation for that cheerfulness is that the EU (and Schröder) had an obsessive desire to demonstrate that their way of dealing with a crisis is far superior to Bush's quest for "freedom" (scare quotes are required). This encouraged them to sacrifice reality in exchange for a little reciprocal back-patting. In fact, it's the Left's old illness - when reality doesn't play along, ignore it and create a virtual and more compliant reality.

P.S. The funny thing is that DMK haters and critics will blame DMK for its "fixation" with Schröder and Fischer.