When Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer appears in front of the cameras at Nato headquarters in Brussels on Thursday afternoon, she seems a bit relieved. Politely, as always, the Defense Minister asks for leniency for the slight delay, but the talks have been intense and had attracted. Nevertheless, it was worth it, says the minister: "The discussion process has been initiated."
For the Minister and CDU leader, this is the first major meeting with the other NATO defense ministers in Brussels. And she had a few things in mind: with in the marching baggage to Brussels was her idea for an international security force for northern Syria, which she had trumpeted unspoken in Germany. But she had to take criticism and also Häme, she was naive. In Brussels, she wants to drum up support from EU partners.
The result of the promotional tour is mixed. Throughout the morning, Kramp-Karrenbauer talks individually with the defense ministers from Britain, France and the United States about their idea. She knows that without the backing of her big EU partners, she does not need to try to get a UN mandate for a security force. And even if this succeeds, it must then force the partners to turn off soldiers and combat equipment for the dangerous mission.
Rejection from the US
The Pentagon boss Mark Esper gives Kramp Karrenbauer already before their discussion a basket. He thinks it's good that the Europeans are finally actively involved in a solution to the Syrian conflict, Esper said in a public speech in the morning. The US, however, would not participate militarily in such a mission. Germany and the EU could only count on political support for their mission - whatever that means.
And the Europeans, who had been completely surprised by the AKK initiative, are initially reluctant. The delegation later said that although Paris and London shared the view that the pact for the partition of northern Syria negotiated between Turkey and Russia was "not a permanent solution". But whether they participate in the von Kramp-Karrenbauers Schutztruppe, they preferred to leave their counterparts open again.
Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders almost patronizingly said he was "not fundamentally against" talking about an international solution for Syria. However, the situation has completely changed as a result of the recent agreement between Turkey and Russia.
OLIVIER HOSLET / EPA-EFE / REX
A patron: Belgium's Defense Minister Didier Reynders
The Minister was nevertheless optimistic. She was "very pleased with the progress of the talks," she said. Even Turkey, which is likely to be more critical of an international blue-helmet mission right on its border, did not immediately reject the idea. Kramp-Karrenbauer stated that Minister Hulusi Akar had expressed interest in the UN's involvement in northern Syria.
The Minister should therefore take the trip to Brussels as a small success. When the Americans twice this year asked quite pro-actively in Paris and London for soldiers for a similar security force for northern Syria, they immediately received brusque refusals. The German minister, however, has at least received a sort of mandate in Brussels to continue working on the idea. She could hardly expect much more from her mission in Brussels.
Whether it is as fast as after their media offensive on Monday is questionable. "This will not be a process that will succeed quickly," says Kramp-Karrenbauer. She knows that the road to a UN mandate for a potential security force is rocky, as Russia has so far categorically rejected the idea and has little interest in international soldiers in Syria. However, without the Russians, who can always veto the NATO Council, there is no UN mandate.
In addition, the defense minister in Germany must smooth out the political upheavals she has caused by her media outburst before taking further steps. Above all, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas is still angry that the CDU boss went past him with a Syria plan to the public, especially since the idea could end in one of the most dangerous foreign missions of the Bundeswehr. The Chancellor too was surprised to say the least about the behavior of her pupil.
In any case, Kramp-Karrenbauer from Maas can not wait for support at the moment. When she negotiated in Brussels, the SPD minister appeared in the Bundestag. He had little good to say about the colleague's ideas. "The decisive factor is what we can communicate with our international partners," says Maas. "It will depend on which plans we pursue and which we do not."
The lack of backing from the entire federal government will make Kramp-Karrenbauer's biggest challenge the next few days. Each of the international partners knows that the idea only becomes a real German initiative when Chancellor Merkel clings to it completely. You could see them whispering intensively with Heiko Maas in a quiet corner of the Bundestag today, maybe they apologized for the fact that their party leader was doing their research.
