Olmert Chastises German Foreign Minister For Syria Visit
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Courtesy Of: Yahoo News
From Agence France-Presse
Fri. Dec. 8, 2006
2:24 PM ET
BERLIN (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert criticized German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier for visiting Syria this week, branding Damascus a backer of terrorism and the insurgency in Iraq.
"I like Minister Steinmeier but I think he made a mistake," Olmert, who is due in Berlin Tuesday for talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel, told German rolling news channel N24.
Olmert said he had told Steinmeier his opinion when the German minister was in
Israel last week, ahead of his brief stop in Damascus Monday.
Olmert said he had told Steinmeier his opinion when the German minister was in
Israel last week, ahead of his brief stop in Damascus Monday.
The Israeli premier said Syria was "actively" involved in terror acts and backed the bloody sectarian violence in Iraq. He accused Steinmeier of failing to criticize the Syrian government during his stay.
Steinmeier, on a visit to Washington Friday, told N24 that he knew that his trip had been "controversial" but defended his decision to go to Damascus.
"I believed and believe it to be right to explain our positions there and, in clear discussions with a clear mission, say what we expect of Syria," he said.
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