Germany urges Russia to cooperate in solving crisis

BERLIN: German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas urged Russia to help solve the Syria crisis as he set off for a meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) major industrialised nations in Toronto.

The Syrian conflict has badly damaged already strained relations between the West and Russia, which backs President Bashar Al-assad.

The United States, France and Britain conducted missile strikes against Syrian targets this month after a suspected chemical weapons attack that Assad and Moscow deny carrying out.

“We need constructive contributions from Russia to reach a peaceful solution,” Maas told reporters before his flight, adding that this was equally true of the Ukraine conflict, which the G7 foreign ministers are also due to discuss.

Russia is not a member of the G7 and will not be taking part in the meeting.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been very critical of Russia’s involvej ment in both the Syrian and Ukraine conflicts and backs continued European Union sanctions against Moscow. But Maas hails from her junior coalition partner, the Social Democrats, which has traditionally sought good ties with Russia.

Germany did not take part in the air strikes, but Merkel backed them as a “necessary and appropriate” action to warn Syria against further use of chemical weapons.

German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen told Bild am Sonntag newspaper that the German armed forces would have been capable of taking part in the strikes but added: “We weren’t asked this time.” Since World War Two Germany has been reluctant to get involved in military missions abroad. Its limited engagej ments abroad have focussed mainly on training, surveillance, medical rescue and peacekeeping.

Von der Leyen said the air strikes in Syria had reinvigorated peace initiaj tives, adding that it was crucial for the Syria peace talks in Geneva to get off the ground with all participants again.

She said it was necessary to negotij ate with Assad’s government to achieve initial steps like a ceasefire and get humanitarian aid to suffering Syrians.

Von der Leyen, a member of Merkel’s conservatives, called for a tough stance against Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying: “President Putin doesn’t value weakness. Chumming up to him or being soft doesn’t make him any friendlier.”