Berlin Divided over Surprise Call for Syria Security Zone
German Chancellor Angela Merkel threw her support Tuesday behind a controversial call by her defense minister for international troops to create a "safe zone" in northeastern Syria.
The German leader told conservative MPs that the idea of a security area was "very promising, even if there are many open questions", sources from her parliamentary group told AFP.
But the initiative from Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer met with resistance from leading Social Democrats, junior partners in Merkel's ruling right-left coalition.
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told reporters the notion had provoked "a certain degree of irritation" among Germany's NATO allies.
Turkey's military intervention against Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria, as well as Russia's backing for the Damascus regime, mean "there are high hurdles for any internationalization of the solution to the conflict," Maas said.
For now, Berlin "has engaged with efforts to resolve the conflict" with "diplomatic and humanitarian" means, he added.
There had been "no discussion" of an international mission to northeast Syria with Germany's allies, Maas said, recalling also the failure of a similar plan for Aleppo in late 2016.
- Not 'simply an onlooker' -
Kramp-Karrenbauer had told broadcaster Deutsche Welle on Monday that a security zone could allow international forces, including European troops, to "resume the fight against terror and against the Islamic State" group (IS) as well as "stabilize the region so that rebuilding civilian life is once again possible".
The defense chief is keen to involve German soldiers, although a deployment would have to be in line with international law and secure approval from parliament.
Europe and Germany must "come up with our own recommendations and initiate discussions," rather than being "simply... an onlooker" Kramp-Karrenbauer said.
She added that she had already floated her proposal to the British, American and French defense ministers and would discuss it further at a meeting of the NATO alliance in Brussels on Thursday and Friday.
Sources said Merkel pledged to discuss the safe zone idea during a previously planned meeting with the leaders of France, Britain, and Turkey ahead of a December NATO summit.
Kramp-Karrenbauer's call for military intervention came as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was in Russia for talks with President Vladimir Putin on Syria.
Turkish forces are hours away from the end of a US-brokered ceasefire with Kurdish fighters in the offensive it launched on October 9.
Ankara quickly moved to clear a "security zone" in northeastern Syria of Kurdish forces following President Donald Trump's announcement he would withdraw troops from the region.
The Kurds provided indispensable ground fighters in the US-led international coalition against IS, but their YPG militias are considered "terrorists" by Turkey.
Russia is a crucial ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and has demanded that Turkey respect the country's territorial integrity.
When asked about Kramp-Karrenbauer's safe zone proposal, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov withheld judgement.
"We don't have a position because this is a new initiative," he said. "We need to study it."
Source: Agence France Presse
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