By Andreas Rinke BERLIN (Reuters) -German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sunday he hoped an upcoming meeting of the Group of Seven countries would show unity and could reach agreement on four key points to help resolve the conflict between Israel and Iran. Speaking as he prepared to fly to Canada for the G7 summit, […]
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German chancellor urges G7 to show unity in tackling Israel-Iran conflict
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By Andreas Rinke
BERLIN (Reuters) -German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sunday he hoped an upcoming meeting of the Group of Seven countries would show unity and could reach agreement on four key points to help resolve the conflict between Israel and Iran.
Speaking as he prepared to fly to Canada for the G7 summit, Merz said the Middle East conflict would be high on the agenda.
The four points were: that Iran cannot develop or posses nuclear weapons; that Israel has the right to defend itself against existential threats, which he said Iran’s nuclear programme represented; thirdly, the conflict should not escalate; and fourth, that scope for diplomacy must be created.
“I would like to add that in Germany we are also getting ready in case Iran should target Israeli or Jewish targets in Germany,” Merz told reporters, without going into more detail.
G7 leaders gather for a summit in the Canadian Rockies starting on Sunday until Tuesday.
Merz said that Israel had requested fire extinguishing material, which Germany would provide.
Germany’s defence minister, Boris Pistorius, told German state television ARD he had not discussed providing military aid to Israel with his Israeli counterpart, nor had he received any such requests. Nothing was being prepared, he added.
Separately, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said he had spoken with his Omani counterpart Badr Albusaidi on how Oman’s ties could help de-escalate tension in the region between Israel and Iran and Yemen’s Houthis.
Merz said the G7 would also discuss the war in Ukraine and that more pressure should be put on Russia to bring it to the negotiating table. To that end, European leaders wanted to agree new sanctions on Moscow at the end of this month, he said.
Merz said economic issues would also be on the agenda at the G7 summit, and said efforts would be directed towards reaching an agreement over tariffs following the Trump administration’s decision to impose them on its key trade partners earlier this year.
(Writing by Dave Graham; Editing by Jan Harvey, David Holmes and Susan Fenton)