PRESS RELEASE
Eastern German State Governments Oppose New Russia Sanctions
Oct. 12, 2016 (EIRNS)—The campaign by prominent Christian Democrats and Greens for new Russia sanctions over the Syria issue is meeting strong opposition even from Christian Democrats in Germany’s east.
Stanislaw Tillich, Christian Democratic Minister President of Saxony, told Spiegel online yesterday that in Syria, numerous war parties and states backing them, are directly or indirectly involved in the military conflicts. Resuming talks has priority over sanctions. Sanctions against Russia would not contribute to a solution of the conflict, Tillich added, whereas talks would.
Reiner Haseloff, Christian Democratic Minister President of Saxe-Anhalt, denounced economic sanctions as an expression of a lack of ideas, pointing also to the losses suffered by companies in his state under the Russian sanctions regime. Erwin Sellering, Social Democratic Minister President of Mecklenburg-Prepomerania, declared, "I do not support this demand [for new sanctions]," adding that Foreign Affairs Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier and Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel are right to prefer a dialogue with Moscow. This is particularly relevant for Mecklenburg-Prepomerania, he said, because Russia is an important economic partner of this state. Sellering not only opposes new sanctions, but also calls for an end of the sanctions as soon as possible, announcing that his state is determined to develop greater contact with Russia over the coming years.
