German FM Raps Calls For Greater NATO Presence Near Ukraine

Berlin, March 29, IRNA -- German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier here Friday slammed calls by mostly Eastern European and Baltic States for a greater NATO presence in the Ukrainian crisis region as a result of Russiaˈs annexation of Crimea. Talking at a press conference with his Qatari counterpart Khalid al-Attiyah, Steinmeier said he could not understand how such debates that are scheduled to be held in the NATO Council next week, were actually taking place in public. Germanyˈs chief diplomat stressed his country is taking up a ˈresponsible roleˈ on the Ukrainian issue. NATO foreign ministers are to discuss the consequences of the Crimean crisis when they meet in Brussels on Tuesday and Wednesday. Backed by the US, several Eastern European and Baltic States, among them Poland and Romania, have urged the western military alliance to boost its presence in the Ukrainian crisis region./end