German Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, said the Munich Security Conference, which launches on Friday with 30 heads of state and government in attendance, would serve as an opportunity to demonstrate Germany’s commitment to international cooperation.
“We know that national self-determination is only possible against the backdrop of international coordination,” Maas said ahead of his departure for Munich.
“I will, therefore, campaign for doubling down on our commitment to the international order.’’
Also ahead of the conference, German Defence Minister, Ursula von der Leyen said she wanted to avoid another altercation with the U.S. over Germany’s defence spending.
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Germany has been under pressure from the U.S. and other NATO members to increase its military spending to two per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in line with a target agreed by NATO members in 2014.
“The demands … are justified. We must do more in the alliance which serves our protection,” von der Leyen told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, adding that Germany had already increased its military spending by 36 per cent in the last six years.
Von der Leyen will launch the Munich conference later on Friday alongside her British counterpart, Gavin Williamson.
The topics expected to dominate the conference include the state of trans-Atlantic relations, increasing tensions between Russia and the West and the conflicts in the Middle East.
Europe must prepare itself for an “arms race’’ and new geopolitical challenges, conference head Wolfgang Ischinger said ahead of the event.
“We Europeans had better prepare ourselves when it comes to foreign, security and defence policy,” Ischinger told German public broadcaster ZDF, adding that Europe had long suffered from the delusion that it is surrounded by friends and allies.
Earlier this month, Washington announced its intention to withdraw from a US-Russian nuclear disarmament treaty, accusing Moscow of violating the deal by developing missile capabilities within the banned range.
The move triggered fears of a new arms race between the U.S. and Russia.
The Russian delegation, Headed by Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, was expected to discuss security issues concerning Eurasia and the Middle East, and efforts to finally sign a WWII peace treaty with Japan, state media reported.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry has said it does not expect official talks with the U.S. delegation. (NAN)
