Speech by Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer to the German Bundestag during the debate on the participation of German troops in the EU-led mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
June 18, 2003

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen!

On behalf of the Government, I would like to take this opportunity to most sincerely thank the members of this House, who are faced with an admittedly difficult decision. As the Minister of Defense and Mr. Schäuble have already pointed out, this decision is anything but simple.

I would like to stress once more that our French partners will be confronted with the main risk, a not inconsiderable one, in this operation. I think we should be grateful for that, too. First and foremost, this mission will serve to stabilize the humanitarian situation in a region which for many years, not just in recent times, has given us cause for grave concern and where we have already witnessed terrible events - humanitarian disasters, mass murders, even the attempted genocide of the Tutsis and, I have to add, the dismal failure of the international community. Therefore, as a member of the international community we cannot, and indeed must not, refuse to play our part. I believe that is quite clear, at least with regard to the humanitarian aspect.

Europe has a very special responsibility here. As Peter Struck pointed out: this is a European mission, an ESDP mission. The main burden will be carried by others. Our principal contribution will be in the transport sector. That is an additional burden - however, Europe has no alternative but to live up to both its historical and its present-day responsibility and make its contribution towards warding off a humanitarian disaster.

Mr. Schäuble, I do not know whether we can meet the challenge in Africa by devising a plan. The best plan in the world would not have helped in the long civil war in Angola; you know that as well as I do. The question of the Great Lakes region, to which eastern Congo belongs, is not a question of finding a better plan. The tragedy in Liberia, where we hope that we have now taken another step forward, in Sierra Leone, the development of terrorism in many parts, the situation in Somalia and in southern Sudan, to mention just a few examples, or the disaster in one of the potentially richest countries in southern Africa, Zimbabwe, which was caused by the wanton actions of the government there, by Mugabe, who is using all means available to him against the opposition in order to stay in power - I do not believe that any of these problems can be resolved with plans. Rather, what is ultimately required is a patient approach with regional partners, coupled with the awareness that this neighboring continent is of crucial importance to us.

I would like to take this opportunity to expressly contradict an astute conservative commentator, Hans-Peter Schwarz, who stated that the situation in Africa does not affect our interests. Ladies and gentlemen, if this continent, our direct neighboring continent, begins exporting the appalling instability which prevails there, it will have a direct impact on Europe’s security interests in the 21st century.

In my view, therefore, it is patently clear that Europe bears a share of the responsibility for resolving the conflicts there. As one of the most important member states of the European Union, Germany must make its contribution.

We are seeing quite promising approaches in the Great Lakes region. Although they may be anything but promising by tomorrow, a development has been set in motion there within the context of which the contribution now to be made by the ESDP mission, the European mission, can help advance a political solution, a solution which includes Rwanda and Uganda. These are the decisive factors. However, internal democratization, a new consensus in the Republic of the Congo, will also be of crucial importance if a minimum degree of stability is to be established.

Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, I believe that this mission can and will be of key importance, not only from a humanitarian point of view but also in political terms.

I will not deny that we were not quite certain whether this should be an ESDP mission or rather a coalition of the willing. The German Government would also have been prepared to support such a coalition. However, we had to realize that in the fora of the European Union, the majority took a different view, especially our two major partners, Britain and France.

It is of course crucial that we argue in favor of majority decisions in foreign policy in the Convention. Nevertheless, I would like to make it clear that the deployment of troops cannot be a matter for majority decisions. Our position is that this must remain a national decision. However, if we make a joint political decision then we must of course also share the ensuing burden.

I remember well the criticism with regard to the Saint-Malo summit. It was asked then: why did Germany not participate? In the current situation it is now being asked: why is there no NATO operation? Blair and Chirac did indeed consider that very possibility in Saint-Malo. You can accuse the British of many things, but not of wanting to weaken NATO. This debate can therefore be ended very quickly because no-one intends this to be the launch of an independent European alternative to the transatlantic, integrated military alliance. At least, I can guarantee that this is not our Government’s position, and I would go so far as to claim that it is not that of Britain or of other partners either.

In this connection, we must understand with regard to the future European Security and Defense Policy and the future European Foreign Policy that it is in Germany’s interests not to stand on the sidelines if the other two major European nations are involved and if these two spheres are brought ever closer together. It is vital that we also take this aspect into account - naturally, taking into consideration our capabilities and possibilities.

I agree with all of those who say that Africa is not, and must not become, a lost continent. We have witnessed this in the Maghreb states where Islamism poses a concrete threat to stability. We have witnessed this in western Africa, I would like to point this out, too - where poor states which have come together in ECOWAS - have, within the bounds of their capabilities, made enormous contributions, also in the military sphere, towards stabilizing crisis states there. Considerable contributions have already been made and continue to be made.

Naturally, we hope that Africans will assume a greater share of the responsibility for peace and freedom on their continent. We are therefore particularly pleased that South Africa has also made a strong commitment here. One single program for the whole of Africa will not work. We therefore favor regional approaches and regional stabilization efforts; for it is a large continent with serious and extensive conflicts. Europe cannot keep out of these conflicts because it has a responsibility and because this continent is also part of our own security.

Operation Artemis shows that the European Union is aware of this dimension and that it can act swiftly and effectively in a humanitarian crisis. The European Union is therefore proving that it is capable of taking action if the major member states work together. I am pleased that the German Bundestag is also making its contribution by granting its approval to this mission.

Thank you.

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