Russia, Germany stress interest in strategic partnership (Roundup)

Nov 20, 2009, 15:33 GMT

   Moscow - Germany and Russia stressed their interest Friday in pursuing their strategic partnership in talks between Kremlin leaders and Berlin's new foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle.

Westerwelle, making his first trip to Moscow since his recent appointment as foreign minister in Germany's new coalition government, met Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and President Dmitry Medvedev, as well as human rights groups representatives.

The head of Berlin's junior coalition partner, the Free Democrats, was quick in stressing German interest in strong ties with Russia.

'There are no if's, and's or but's: We want a strategic partnership with Russia,' Westerwelle said. 'We want more than just a good trade and economic partner.'

   He added that Germany's interests also included more cooperation in the fields of justice and culture and 'to deepen the friendship between our two peoples.'

   Amid the overall atmosphere of harmony, Lavrov had clear words for his German guest about saying anything about a new upcoming trial against Kremlin oppoinent Mikhail Khodorkovski.

   Germany and Russia should have mutual respect for each other's judicial systems, Lavrov said.

   The trial of Khodorkovski, the former billionaire and head of the in the meantime dismantled oil concern Yukos, was not directly discussed during the Lavrov-Westerwelle talks, sources said.

Khodorkovski faces a new trial, together with former business partner, Platon Lebedev, for alleged economic crimes. If found guilty he could face a prison sentence of 22 years.

  Other issues during Westerwelle's visit were disarmament and Iran's controversial nuclear programme.

Westerwelle urged a unified stance in the nuclear dispute with Iran, saying only in this way could the international community exert influence on Tehran's leaders.

He also called for comprehensive disarmament in both conventional and nuclear weapons and said this could only be accomplished together with Russia.

Lavrov said Russia welcomed the new German coalition government's policy on conventional weapons disarmament and that Moscow hoped for support from Germany in the efforts to establish a new security structure for Europe.

At the end of his one-day stay, Westerwell also met with Russian human rights activists and praised the 'great achievements' by those critical of the Kremlin.

'We want to encourage them and support them,' Westerwelle said. Among those he met was Lyudmila Alexeyeva, 82, the head of the Helsinki Group of human rights activits.

In her remarks, Alexeyeva said it was important that Germany was taking note of the problems in Russia. Alexeyeva was rcently awarded Germany's top civilian award by President Horst Koehler for her work for democratic values in Russia.