Bush open to German UN council seat

source:http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050627/pl_afp/usungerma nybush_050627165734



WASHINGTON (AFP) - US     President George W. Bush left open the possibility that Germany could get a permanent UN Security Council seat, saying "we oppose no country" in their efforts to join that body.

"We oppose no country's bid for the Security Council," Bush said as he met at the White House with German Chancellor     Gerhard Schroeder, who has pushed for his country to join the exclusive group of veto-wielding permanent members.

"I was very pleased, indeed, to hear that there was no opposition, vis-a-vis Germany as such, from the president," Schroeder said through an interpreter.

The United States has laid out a proposal to add countries to the Security Council as part of a UN reform package, but has only endorsed Japan's push to join the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain as a permanent member.

Schroeder said that he had pleaded Berlin's case for a permanent seat to Bush by linking Germany's contribution to stabilization efforts in     Afghanistan and the Balkans and to reconstruction efforts in     Iraq.

"Since we're doing all these things internationally, we would very much hope that at some point in time we could also have a right to representation on the Security Council if there were the space," he said.

"I said very much we're doing lots of things and hopefully we'll be involved in deciding things as well," said the chancellor, who downplayed the rift between Berlin and Washington on the issue.

"If you ask me about whether I see differences, and I'd possibly say there are differences in the timing; we were pushing to have things happening very quickly," he said.

Good.

Originally posted by Thegeneral Germany does deserve it more than France.� Good for Germany and Mr. Pres!

Oh, the good old times!

When we were divided and banished from the community of nations! When we didn't have to get involved in global politics and nobody asked us for help to invade other countries! When we could concentrate on making lots of money and on beating everybody else at football!
Look what the reunification has brought upon us, our economy has gone down the drain, our team hasn't won a single World Cup since 1990, and now Bush offers us a place in his beloved UN security council.

Somebody please put the wall up again!

Perhaps it's time all the jaded old hacks hacks on the council were retired and we replaced them with some more deserving nations. What would be a good idea for a new look council?

I'll go for Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Ireland and Costa Rica.

Hmm the US offers this seat to Germany and people talk of it superseding the French...

How many Americans have died becuase of France? How many Americans have died because of Germany?  How many panzers can compare to modern government?

I think no former axis power should ever be allowed a permanent seat, so that they can be forever reminded of who started the crisis that necessitated the need for the UN in the first place.

I do agree with Kommenos.
The WWII ended 60 years ago.
Why the super powers as US, England, France, Russia and China can have nuclear capacity, but they worry if any other country will pursue to have nuclear weapons too ?

The Security Council should be open to Germany and Japan as well. At least they have no been involved directly in conflicts over the past 60 years.

Regards