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German Chancellor Angela Merkel meeting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Berlin on Tuesday. (AP)
Last update - 23:55 12/02/2008
Merkel to PM: We'll push for more Iran sanctions
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent, and Reuters
Tags: Germany, Angela Merkel 

Germany is intent of imposing further sanctions through the
United Nations on Iran because of its insistence to proceed with its nuclear program, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday during her meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Merkel stressed that the solution to the crisis must be diplomatic, but Olmert has not ruled out the possibility of a military operation against Iran.
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Olmert, who completed a three-day official visit to Germany on Tuesday night, met with Merkel on Monday for dinner with a small number of aides and also Tuesday morning.

Iran's nuclear program held center stage in Olmert's meetings in Germany. One of the issues Merkel raised was that the recent missile tests carried out by Iran, including missiles with the range to target European capitals, were a matter of serious concern.

"We are very concerned about these tests," she said.

In the upcoming weeks a new report by the International Atomic Energy Agency will be released on Iran's nuclear program and will discuss the degree to which Iran has complied with international calls for an end to its uranium enrichment program.

During their talks, Merkel promised Olmert that the report would be a point of reference alone and will not determine Germany's position on the sanctions question.

"I certainly understand the need to step up sanctions on Iran," Merkel told Olmert. "We will support additional sanctions on Iran irrespective of the IAEA report or that of the U.S. intelligence."

A report in November 2007 by U.S. intelligence agencies on Iran stated that Tehran had ceased its quest for nuclear arms in 2003, an assessment that Israel does not accept.

The American report has created substantial confusion in Germany and raised serious debate among the defense and political circles in the country.

Olmert presented the Chancellor with Israeli intelligence assessments on
Iran's nuclear program.

During the press conference held by the two leaders on Tuesday, Merkel said that "a diplomatic option must be preserved because this way we can have results."

Olmert partially agreed with his host's approach, but added that the military option should not be ruled out.

"We are acting together with other countries in order to create a unified
effort of the international community in an attempt to prevent Iran from
acquiring nuclear arms."

"U.S. President Bush said that no option should be ruled out, and I think this is an acceptable definition," Olmert added.


Merkel: Qassams hurt Gazans, terror is at civilians' expense

During their talks, Merkel also told Olmert that the solution to the suffering of Gaza Strip residents must be an end to the Qassam rocket fire.

"I think that the fact that there is terrorism emanating from Gaza raises the question of how to respond and how to prevent Hamas from doing this," said Merkel during a joint press conference.

"The humanitarian situation in Gaza is difficult and we are trying help as much as possible, but first they must stop firing on Israeli cities."

"We don't want to worsen the situation in Gaza, but the terrorism is taking place there at the expense of civilians," she added.

Olmert told Merkel he was determined to take any steps necessary to bring the rocket fire to an end. "The Israeli government under my leadership is absolutely determined to respond to the challenge of terrorism from Gaza in every possible manner which will be effective," Olmert said at the news conference. "We will not hesitate, we will not stop, we will do what's necessary to be done."

"I know that there are lots of speculations, ... discussions, ... suggestions and propositions everywhere of what we can do exactly," he added. "That, I'm afraid, I will not share with you."

At the same time, he said "Israel will continue our negotiations with the Palestinian Authority under West Bank-based President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad."

After the meeting, Olmert told reporters, "There is a great deal of understanding in Germany about Israel's need to defend itself."

He added: "To the best of my understanding, Merkel understands that it is impossible not to respond to [Qassam] fire."

Olmert: I'm certain Iran is secretly seeking nukes

The prime minister also said during the talks he was certain that Iran is engaged in a secret operation to build nuclear weapons.

"We are of the view that the Iranians are continuing to pursue their plans to create a capacity for non-conventional weapons," he said at the press conference.

"Nothing that we've seen so far has changed our view on that," he said, speaking through an interpreter.

Olmert also said he was sharing information with other countries about Iran's nuclear program and that no options should be forgotten in trying to prevent Iran from developing atomic weapons.

"As [U.S.] President [George W.] Bush once said: No option is ruled out," he said.

Talks focused on Hamas, Gaza, Iran

The leaders' talks on Monday focused on the conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip as well as Iran's controversial nuclear program, Israeli officials said.

An Israeli official said before the meeting that Merkel was "very curious" about the situation along the Gaza border, where violence threatens to complicate Palestinian statehood talks that resumed after the Annapolis peace conference in November.

Public pressure has been mounting in Israel for Olmert to order a wide scale military operation against Hamas to curb cross-border rocket fire that has been disrupting life in towns and communities along the frontier.

While Olmert toured Berlin's Jewish Museum, pausing to tell reporters that Israel was "at war" with Hamas, residents of the southern Israeli town of Sderot disrupted traffic in Tel Aviv to protest against his government's failure to end the launchings.

A senior Israeli official declined to comment on whether Olmert would lobby Merkel to support stronger Israeli military action in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, where 1.5 million Palestinians live in densely populated areas.

Israel's recent tightening of a Gaza blockade and cutback in fuel supplies, part of a declared bid to pressure militants to stop firing rockets, has drawn international criticism and raised fears of a humanitarian crisis in the territory.

Hamas, which violently wrested control of the Gaza Strip from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction in June, has called the rocket attacks retaliation for Israel Defense Forces raids in the area, as well as in the West Bank.

In an interview published on Tuesday in Berlin's B.Z. daily, Merkel spoke of "the difficult conditions" under which Olmert and Abbas are negotiating.

In an indirect reference to the Holocaust in which 6 million Jews were killed by Nazi Germany in World War Two, Merkel said her country had a "special historical responsibility" towards Israel.

In a sign Germany is raising pressure on Tehran, it said on Tuesday the government had halved new export credit guarantees for trade with Iran last year to 503.4 million euros ($732.7 million). Germany has traditionally been among the top exporters to Iran, sending 4.1 billion of euros of goods there in 2006.

Iran says it wants nuclear energy only for electricity, so it can export more oil. But it is under sanctions for hiding the program until 2003, preventing United Nations inspectors since then from verifying it is wholly peaceful and refusing to suspend it.

Olmert said last month Israel will not be reconciled to a nuclear Iran and "all options are on the table". Israel is widely believed to have built atomic weapons of its own.

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      1.   interparty quarrelling vs. united stand 01:08  |  Nach 12/02/08
      2.   Why Iran 02:05  |  Adeel 12/02/08
      3.   Merkel 02:23  |  MR 12/02/08
      4.   yes,germany has a special responsibility to israel,but why should 02:32  |  lakshmi 12/02/08
      5.   Adeel - here is your injustice 02:33  |  Philo-Semite 12/02/08
      6.   "...disrupting life..." is how Reuters puts it 02:45  |  Jason 12/02/08
      7.   olmert grovels before merkel 03:10  |  marcel 12/02/08
      8.   Iran Revolutionary Guards Are The Gestapo , 03:26  |  Joseph . E 12/02/08
      9.   Muslims Pay for their Leaders War Crimes 03:29  |  Joseph . E 12/02/08
      10.   Germany has a special responsibility 03:34  |  Truths 12/02/08
      11.   I don`t think German sentiment is that anti-Israeli 05:38  |  joki 12/02/08
      12.   Lakshmi_Potent Questions Were Asked of You By Amitabh 06:21  |  Eli 12/02/08
      13.   Iran cannot export more oil, more quickly! 06:26  |  Maureen Ann 12/02/08
      14.   29 years of sanction 06:58  |  Fadhil 12/02/08
      15.   WHEN THEY WOULD STOP TO WHINE? 06:59  |  indrajaya 12/02/08
      16.   cowardly captain (olmert) jumping ship 07:08  |  gil 12/02/08
      17.   #11 Joki 08:25  |  MR 12/02/08
      18.   To Maureen Ann # 13 08:55  |  dovale 12/02/08
      19.   To Indraaya #15 09:00  |  dovale 12/02/08
      20.   To Gil # 16 09:06  |  dovale 12/02/08
      21.   Remind Me - How Many Years Ago Did The Holocaust End? 09:44  |  chet 12/02/08
      22.   Haaretz amnesia again about Israeli nukes 10:18  |  Clickfool 12/02/08
      23.   Olmert part of the German propaganda machinery 11:55  |  Jonathan S 12/02/08
      24.   #14 Fadhil 12:29  |  Sarah 12/02/08
      25.   Olmert asking Germany for permission to defend Israel 12:33  |  Jonathan S 12/02/08
      26.   chet thank you for the vicious post 12:37  |  revengeful 12/02/08
      27.   Clickfool 12:38  |  Sarah 12/02/08
      28.   Iran very openly seeks nuclear weapons 12:47  |  Jonathan S 12/02/08
      29.   IDF! Attack Now! Save Gazans! 12:52  |  Raoul Isaac 12/02/08
      30.   The Gazan ?innocent civilians? 12:53  |  Malka Zivh 12/02/08
      31.   response to "MR" 13:03  |  Jörg 12/02/08
      32.   Its a funny old world 13:04  |  Son of Mrs Levy 12/02/08
      33.   #21 chet 13:05  |  Sarah 12/02/08
      34.   Clickfool Annoying You ? Join Our Blog ! 13:17  |  Phil 12/02/08
      35.   "I`m certain Iran is secretly seeking nukes" 13:18  |  Axel 12/02/08
      36.   Blackmailing and clowns 13:33  |  Erick 12/02/08
      37.   For Sarah # 27 13:45  |  Clickfool 12/02/08
      38.   Angela Merkel does not speak for Germany 13:46  |  Jonathan S 12/02/08
      39.   # 34 Phil of London....Love the blog 13:48  |  Lynn 12/02/08
      40.   There you are, Sarah # 34 13:48  |  Clickfool 12/02/08
      41.   # 22 CLICKY....You are famous!!! 13:51  |  Lynn 12/02/08
      42.   # 21 chet of Canada...Yes, 60 years 13:55  |  Lynn 12/02/08
      43.   Clickfool No Show 13:57  |  Phil 12/02/08
      44.   # 17 mr 14:00  |  Axel 12/02/08
      45.   # 35, AXEL 14:06  |  indrajaya 12/02/08
      46.   # 17 mr 14:11  |  Axel 12/02/08
      47.   Joseph E.#9: and you will pay for the zionists war crimes 14:45  |  TripleJump 12/02/08
      48.   #15 14:49  |  Chris 12/02/08
      49.   Merkel is reversing the roles: Israel IS the guilty party! 14:49  |  Eric 12/02/08
      50.   Mrs MERKEL: YOU KNOW, GAZANS ARE NOT THE OCCUPIERS!!! 14:52  |  ME Observer 12/02/08
      51.   Newsflash for Merkel: 14:59  |  Natallie Durson 12/02/08
      52.   #31 Joerg 15:31  |  MR 12/02/08
      53.   #3 | @MR: Get your facts right then write, if at all! 15:33  |  Anti-hypocrates 12/02/08
      54.   #3 to MR 15:34  |  ChrisBerlin 12/02/08
      55.   to Sarah 15:38  |  sue 12/02/08
      56.   Back to basics 15:38  |  Alberto 12/02/08
      57.   Iran and Nukes 15:39  |  JJ 12/02/08
      58.   #44 Axel 15:40  |  MR 12/02/08
      59.   mature Merkel 15:42  |  su 12/02/08
      60.   to #5 15:47  |  susie 12/02/08
      61.   #46 Axel 15:55  |  MR 12/02/08
      62.   to Eric 49 16:00  |  shumbala 12/02/08
      63.   Nathalie "Duh"s yet again 16:02  |  Michael 12/02/08
      64.   Eric and the one-eyed Observer 16:04  |  Michael 12/02/08
      65.   Hermit, its time to go back to your office.!! 16:08  |  Stephen. 12/02/08
      66.   Eric vs. Merkel 16:22  |  Tex 12/02/08
      67.   last time i checked my brain there were and 16:23  |  bozhidar balkas 12/02/08
      68.