Germany accused of lacking Afghan strategy ahead of London meeting
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Berlin, Jan 22, IRNA -- German Social Democratic leader Sigmar Gabriel lambasted the government of Chancellor Angela Merkel for not having a clear Afghanistan concept ahead of next week's key international meeting on Afghanistan in London.
Opening a one-day conference on Afghanistan at the headquarters of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in Berlin, Gabriel said it was "absolutely unacceptable" for the German government not to be able to agree on a common Afghanistan strategy.
"We urge the federal (German) government to end this state of division," he added.
Gabriel cited major disagreements on Berlin's Afghanistan policy between Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and his fiercest inner-cabinet rival Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg.
While Westerwelle strongly opposes sending new troops to Afghanistan, Guttenberg has indicated his support for the deployment of more soldiers in the war-ravaged country.
The ministers' quarrel has overshadowed German efforts to chart out a clear Afghanistan policy for the London confab.
Merkel is to meet with Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday and Wednesday in Berlin to discuss her country's future engagement in Afghanistan.
The chancellor is also due to address the parliament on her future policy on Afghanistan on January 27, one day before the start of the London meeting.
OT**1420
End News / IRNA / News Code 912315
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