February 13, 2012
In a SPIEGEL interview, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, 50, discusses the "repulsive" violence in Syria, his concerns about Germany's standing in Europe as a result of the euro crisis and his disatisfaction with the recent political impasse in Greece.
SPIEGEL: Minister Westerwelle, can you explain the behavior of your friend Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, on the question of Syria?
Westerwelle: In my assessment, Russia is concerned about losing influence in the region. That's why it regrettably voted against the Syria resolution in the United Nations Security Council. We have to make it clear to Russia that it doesn't jeopardize its own strategic interests by placing itself on the right side of history.
SPIEGEL: It seems a long way from arriving at that insight.
Westerwelle: My esteemed colleague Sergey Lavrov's visit to Damascus was certainly not a successful one. He didn't deliver the kinds of messages I would have hoped for.
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