German minister accuses US of deception over Iraq

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_786673.html
Sunday 1st June 2003

German minister accuses US of deception over Iraq

"...Germany's development minister has accused the US of deceiving the world over its reasons for waging war on Iraq.

Wieczorek-Zeul has joined a chorus of criticism in Europe of remarks by US Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz that weapons of mass destruction became a war banner because it was the only reason which everyone in the Bush administration could agree on.

Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul told a party meeting in Berlin: "We see in the current discussion that it was about oil, it wasn't about weapons of mass destruction.

"The world was deceived there, and that's why we are clear on our position," the minister said at a meeting of the ruling Social Democratic Party on economic reforms.

"We want to help make sure that war never again can become a means for politics or to look after economic interests."

Germany joined France and Russia in opposing the Iraq war, casting doubt on the US arguments in favour of military intervention and saying it could detract from the fight against international terrorism.

While Wieczorek-Zeul has regularly delivered harsh criticism of US policy on Iraq, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has recently urged the countries to repair German-US relations and look to the future..."

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printed from German minister accuses US of deception over Iraq on 2004-05-06 11:08:55