Westerwelle, who is intimately involved in the affairs of the Middle East, was also vice chancellor of Germany from 2009 to 2011. He held wide-ranging talks with Defense Minister Prince Salman, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal and GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif Al-Zayani during his two-day visit to the Kingdom.
Westerwelle is a veteran of German politics and is internationally known for his political wisdom, far-sightedness and practical approach on global affairs. In July 2011, he was the president of the United Nations Security Council as he headed the German delegation to the United Nations. He has been the chairman of the Free Democratic Party of Germany (FDP) since May 2001, but stepped down in 2011.
A lawyer by profession, Westerwelle has been a member of the Bundestag since 1996. Having been a member of the Executive Board of the FDP since 1988, he first gained national prominence in 1994, when he was appointed secretary-general of the party in Germany. As such, he was a notable proponent of an unlimited free market economy and took a leading part in drafting a new party program. He has been visiting the Middle East countries frequently to hold talks on regional issues.
Westerwelle spoke to Arab News in Riyadh, where he arrived on Saturday night from Yemen. Excerpts of the interview:
Arab News: What is the purpose of your visit to Saudi Arabia? Will you be visiting other countries of the Middle East during this trip?
Guido Westerwelle: Saudi Arabia is one of our most important partners in the Middle East. We are both facing huge regional and international challenges, ranging from the unbearable bloodshed in Syria to the unresolved conflict of the Iranian nuclear program. As partners in the G20, we are working on how to solve the current international financial crisis. Therefore, close coordination between our two countries is necessary. My second visit to Riyadh aims at further deepening our good bilateral relations. Before arriving in Riyadh, I was in Yemen to meet with newly elected President Abed Rabbu Mansur Hadi and get a first hand impression of the transition process. Yemen is one of the topics of my political talks in Riyadh.
AN: Can you explain the behavior of Russia on the question of Syria? Have you spoken to Russian and Chinese officials on Syria after they vetoed the resolution at the UN?
Westerwelle: The Russian and Chinese veto in the Security Council was a decision against the people in Syria. However, it is not too late for Moscow and Beijing to change course. I am in regular and close contact with our Russian and Chinese colleagues, as are our Arab and Western partners. Our message is crystal clear. The Security Council needs to assume its responsibility. The international community cannot tolerate the ongoing brutal violence of the Syrian regime against its own people.
AN: What will happen if Russians keep on refusing to accept any sane voice or counseling of the international community on the question of Syria? What steps should be taken by the EU and the Arab League to address the situation in Syria, where killings still continue?
Westerwelle: There is no alternative to dialogue with Russia if we want it to pass from the wrong side of history to the right one. The Syrian regime must stop violence against its own people and grant immediate and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid. That is what we are working for together with our partners in the UN, the Arab League, the so-called group Friends of the Syrian People and the EU. We have imposed severe sanctions on the Syrian regime and, if need be, are prepared to further intensify them.
AN: What is the current German and EU position on Iran, which has not committed and possibly will never commit to rolling back its nuclear program?
Westerwelle: A nuclear bomb in the hands of Iran would not only be a threat to the Middle East region, it would also destabilize the security architecture worldwide. We have passed unprecedented EU sanctions in order to dry out the financial resources of Iran's nuclear program. We urge our partners worldwide to do the same. The door for a substantial dialogue with Iran is still open. As E3+3, we have offered new talks to Iran. It would be a severe mistake if Iran chose to play on time and continued to break international obligations instead of opting for cooperation and transparency.
AN: Is there any plan to impose more biting sanctions on Iran and on Syria in days to come? What are the ongoing debates in the EU focusing on since Russia and China vetoed and failed the UN resolution?
Westerwelle: We have already passed significant sanctions against both countries which bite and which are very strong, and we will increase our political and diplomatic pressure if needed further. On Syria, a strong signal by the UN Security Council is long overdue.
AN: Germany has arrested a few men from Berlin suspected of spying for Damascus. How serious was the threat? Can you share some details of the case? Is there any plan to shut the Syrian Embassy in Berlin after Germany expelled four Syrian diplomats early last month?
Westerwelle: Please understand that I cannot share details of these cases with you as there are ongoing investigation procedures.
AN: Turkey is considering setting up protective zones for refugees along its border — on Syrian territory. Do you support a protective zone on Syrian territory, which would require military protection?
Westerwelle: Germany is focusing on a political solution to the conflict. We need to avoid a civil war-like situation in Syria and fully support the special envoy of the United Nations and the Arab League, Kofi Annan, in this regard.
AN: The situation in the Middle East region is in a flux. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict persists with possibly very adverse implications in days to come. What are Germany and the EU doing to pressure Israel to reconcile with Arabs for a comprehensive peace and security in the region?
Westerwelle: The fundamental changes across the Arab world have made the need for progress on the Middle East peace process all the more urgent. Our goal remains a just and lasting resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with the state of Israel and an independent, democratic, contiguous, sovereign and viable state of Palestine, living side by side in peace, security and mutual recognition. Negotiations are the only way forward, if there is to be a lasting resolution to the conflict.
AN: Presidential and parliamentary elections to the Palestinian National Authority are likely to be held in May 2012. Will you continue to talk to the government if Hamas wins the elections? What is the EU position?
Westerwelle: Germany and the EU expect any Palestinian government to uphold the principle of non-violence, to remain committed to a two-state solution and a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict accepting previous agreements and obligations, including Israel’s legitimate right to exist. Our engagement with a new Palestinian government will be based on its adherence to these policies and commitments.
AN: On the question of Greece, what do you think can be a long-term solution to the financial crisis? Should the EU allow the Greeks to decide what they want to do with the money from the EU? Does Greece have to stay in the euro in any case? How long will the EU states bear the burden to help Athens?
Westerwelle: Solidarity and solidity are key for solving the EU debt crisis in general and the financial and economic problems in Greece in particular. We have agreed on a second rescue package for Athens because we want Greece to recover and stay in the euro zone. We cannot solve a debt crisis by taking up more debt. Therefore, more money alone will not pay off. What are also needed are fundamental structural economic reforms to make Greece more competitive. The new EU Fiscal Pact paves the way for sound state finances, more economic growth and more integration throughout the whole Euro zone. The lesson of the current crisis is: We need more Europe, not less.
