German
Bundestag, Plenarprotokoll 19/208, pp. 26247-26248.
Many thanks. –
Frau President. Ladies and gentlemen.
We should now
quite quickly come back from feelings TV to reality television.
Elisabeth Motschmann (CDU/CSU): And
that out of your mouth!
Anton Hofreiter (Greens): You do not
at all know what reality is!
In the state’s
lexicon on the topic of foreign policy is found the entry: Just as a building
is more than a heap of bricks because it has at its disposal a ground plan,
this is also valid for the foreign policy of a state.
Elisabeth Motschmann (CDU/CSU): What
is that then for a lyric?
According to
this general guideline, a Grand Strategy is needed, eine Grosse Strategie, a role concept from which to draw its
impulse to act. Nevertheless, one seeks in vain for this maxim in the behavior
of the Federal government.
Your speech
just now, Herr Maas, had reminded me that a large number of Social Democrats –
and this does pertain to your speech – probably listened attentively, since
many of your party friends are not in agreement with the course which you
pursue. I always have the impression: On one side, you want to pacify your
party friends; on the other side, you do everything so as to damage
German-Russian relations.
Neither in
regards Herr Maas nor in regards Frau Merkel is a German Russia strategy
discernible. Worse yet: Had Russian President Vladimir Putin until recently
seen Germany as one of the last remaining translators which could be trusted,
Frau Merkel and Herr Maas in the past weeks have destroyed this last bridge of
trust. They have done this frivolously [leichtfertig]
and they have thereby violated the principle of foreign policy management;
namely, to look after German interests vis-à-vis Russia and by means of
negotiation balance with Russian interests.
Instead, we
fall into a case of domestic policy and apply to the Russian president a
standard of measurement not incumbent upon us. Since how else is to be
explained that we at the highest level threaten Russia with sanctions in the Navalny
affair, want to levy additional sanctions and endanger the Nord Stream project
worth billions? Yet at the same time we undertake nothing to sanction, for
example, the murder of an Iranian scientist or to denounce the murder of a
Saudi journalist in Turkey who already here found mention. Chancellor like
foreign minister here measure – by permission – with a double standard.
You can
recall how Herr Colin Powell, with a fake story, persuaded the world community
at the UN Security Council. I had not heard the outcries from the Union circles
– ; a terrible war with hundreds of thousands of victims was the consequence.
It subsequently goes exactly so in Libya. Yet here also I have not heard your
outcry.
Michael Brand (CDU/CSU-Fulda): Then you were not really
tuned in! Here again you have not listened!
Worse still:
In Moscow must arise the impression that the West – and primarily Germany –
undertakes everything so as to generate in Russia a Maidan atmosphere [Stimmung] – and this also you want – and
to choose as leader a hitherto completely unknown blogger who earlier –
colleague Gysi has correctly mentioned this – sounded radical nationalist tones
and of whom we do not know what are his true political goals and, before all
things, who are his backers.
I agree that
the maxim of the KSZE [Conference on
Security and Cooperation in Europe] process, namely, that no state is to meddle
in the internal affairs of another, fundamentally must also have continuity in
German foreign policy. It is the only practicable and correct way, ladies and
gentlemen. Of course, were we to apply the same standard of measurement to the
German-Chinese relationship, and thus to a Communist state without any
democratic structure but with thousands of executions of dubious legality, then
we must in relation to China conduct the same sanctions policy as in relation
to Russia. I can say to you: The German economy would immediately stand in
front of your door and cry murder if you would do that.
My delegation
and I are most deeply convinced that every country – my friend Alexander
Gauland has mentioned it – has the right, in its way,
Elisabeth Motschmann (CDU/CSU): Your
way of human rights violations?
to follow the
Pursuit of Happiness, that is, des
Strebens nach Gluck.
Michael Brand (CDU/CSU-Fulda): Human
rights violations are not internal affairs!
That might not
always agree with our set of values; yet that also need not.
In the case
of Russia, there is in addition a further, important aspect. Our great eastern
neighbor was for centuries governed by the czars,
Alexander Lambsdorff (FDP): Our
great eastern neighbor is called Poland!
and there
followed for almost 80 years a Soviet dictatorship in part contemptuous of
mankind. For 30 years, thus for one generation, Russia attempts to develop
structures in the democratic sense.
Elisabeth Motschmann (CDU/CSU): You
nevertheless do not seriously believe that!
Besides, with
us, the first attempt went awry after 15 years and after 1945 also the Germans
had taken long until democratic thinking gained entry in all social structures.
How presumptuous and arrogant it is vis-à-vis our Russian friends
Elisabeth Motschmann (CDU/CSU): Friends?
not to give
to this time of development its due!
Instead of
issuing continual reproaches, we should preferably recognize what in the last
three hundred years has developed positively in Russia. In the sense of German
foreign policy, we should recognize how stabilizing – now catch your breath –
the Russian president has been for his country in the past years. It must lie
in the German interest to support this policy of Vladimir Putin. Since – again a
quick breath – I can say to you one thing: You do not know and probably have no
idea who comes after Vladimir Putin.
Many thanks.
Michael Brand (CDU/CSU-Fulda): The
Moscow visit worked!
[trans: tem]
