Getting Germany Ready For More "Military Engagement" The World over! - 50th Anniversary of Munic Arms Sale Convention

Does History Repeat itself? -Commemorating Centenary of WWI

"President Gauck called on Germany to shake off its sense of guilt stemming from World War II"  Deutsche Welle

A Call for more  Global Military Engagement , a  barely hidden Call for Extending the War Zones War  in the Centenary of World War I expressed by German President Gauck in Munic at an Arms Sale Conference with 400 high-ranking  Participants from all over the world, including  UN general secretary Ban Ki-Moon.

Will  MUNIC's so called "Security Conference"   now join NATO in replacing the peace seeking UN?

"Gauck opens Munich Security Conference with call for more German engagement"

31. Januar 2014, von Deutsche Welle

"In his speech to open the 50th MSC, President Gauck called on Germany to shake off its sense of guilt stemming from World War II and to take more responsibility in shaping international affairs." (Deutsche Welle)

The president warned that "brutal regimes must not be allowed to hide behind the principles of state sovereignty and non-intervention."

"Germany and its allies should not deny help to others when human rights violations in genocide, war crimes and ethnic cleansing, or crimes against humanity are taking place," Gauck said in the speech, which was also posted on his website.

The sentiment was echoed in remarks from Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, who said Germany's position in the world gives it a responsibility to intervene where necessary in conflicts.

"To sit and wait is not an option. If we have means, if we have capabilities, we have the obligation and we have the responsibility to engage," she told the conference. "If we Europeans want to remain a credible actor in security policy, we must plan and act together."

Germany's role in international affairs was at the forefront of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Thursday visit to Berlin, where he discussed the issue both with Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Gauck is the first German head of state to give the opening speech at the Munich Security Conference, which each year attracts hundreds of dignitaries from around the world. Around 20 heads of state and government and some 50 foreign and defense ministers were to take part in this years conference, which runs through Sunday. Among those attending this year's edition of the conference is US Secretary of State John Kerry.

pfd,dr/jm(AFP, epd, dpa)

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