Teltschik, Seehofer Insist Dialogue with Russia Is Indispensable

Posted on Posted in Aggregated No Comments

In an interview with Russia’s Sputnik Deutschland, Horst Teltschik, former head of the chancellor’s office in Germany, said that “Europeans and Americans have for too long rejected talking to President Putin about Syria.”  There are differing views, Teltschik said, but there should have been discussion with Putin about how a peace regulation might be possible.  “The immediate consequences which we have in Europe, are these countless numbers of refugees.  That is, we have maximal interest in ending this conflict, so that the people do not flee.  For that, Russia does play a key role.”  Teltschik said that the vast majority of Germans want a dialogue with Russia, including on economic cooperation, and that the EU/NATO sanctions have done damage to both sides.

Bavarian Prime Minister Horst Seehofer said at a press conference, after meeting in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin last night, that “some ideas are needed to get out of the sanctions, either in one step or in several steps.” Russia also has to think about ways, for example, by doing its “homework” on the Ukrainian problem, Seehofer added.  Putin said that the 1,600 companies with Bavarian participation in Russia are active “in practically every sector — in electronics, engineering, the construction industry, and more.  Fifty percent of Germany’s investment projects in Russia are of Bavarian origin.  You are therefore a special guest here, and we are very pleased to see you.”

Seehofer responded:

“What is most important for us is to deepen our relations, above all, of course, our economic relations, but this is not our only goal.  I think we need to do the same in culture, too, and in science.  These are things we will discuss too.  In today’s globalized world, we in Bavaria, with our population of 13 million, are very much aware, of course, of what is happening every day in our world, whether in Syria or in Ukraine, whether refugees or crime.  And we believe that only by acting together, and not in conflict with each other, can we solve these problems.  In this desire, we are not seeking to act against our Federal government, but together with it, and we are not acting against Russia, but hope to work together with Russia.”

This afternoon, Seehofer also met with the Russian cabinet ministers for industry and for economic policy, partly in preparation for another trip in the Autumn together with a high-powered delegation of German industrialists and bankers.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.