BRITAIN has welcomed German plans for a more active foreign policy and
has no fears of a revival of German nationalism, Foreign Secretary
Douglas Hurd has said in an interview with new magazine Der Spiegel.
Germany may be Europe's economic powerhouse, but until now it has not
been a major force in peace-keeping or security policy, Mr Hurd said.
''But that should be about to change, which I welcome. We are eager to
see how quickly and effectively Germany rises to the new challenges,''
he added.
''Britain's position remains the same: we are a medium-sized power
with global influence.''
Mr Hurd told Der Spiegel that Britain, which for years has enjoyed a
''special relationship'' with Washington, was not jealous that President
Clinton had invited Chancellor Helmut Kohl to play a leading role in
Europe.
''German foreign policy can comfortably become somewhat more
assertive,'' Der Spiegel quoted Mr Hurd as saying.
He saw no danger of a revival of German nationalism and said fear of a
resurgent Germany had been former Prime Minister Thatcher's main foreign
policy mistake after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
Baroness Thatcher was so uneasy about the consequences of German
unification that personal contacts between her and Dr Kohl were
practically non-existent, Mr Hurd disclosed.
''I always had to play the go-between and go and see Kohl,'' he
recalled. ''That is no longer necessary.''
He said Kohl and John Major liked each other and spoke by telephone
much more often than was generally known.
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