The Importance of Having Friends.(Chancellor Gerhard Schroder)(Brief Article)(Interview)

After September 11 German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder volunteered troops to fight with U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Now they are on the ground in Kabul, helping keep order as partners in the international peacekeeping effort. At home, he faces a difficult election next September--with low economic growth and high unemployment. Last week the European Commission warned that Germany's budget deficit is getting too large. Yet in spite of these problems, a relaxed chancellor spoke with NEWSWEEK's Lally Weymouth in New York, where he was attending the World Economic Forum. Excerpts:

WEYMOUTH: What did you think of President Bush's State of the Union speech, with its warnings to Iran, Iraq and North Korea?

SCHRODER: The president has shown that the fight against terrorism is by no means over and that it is important to maintain the cohesion of the international alliance against terrorism. Those are positions I happily subscribe to. He mentioned three countries--North Korea, Iran and Iraq--and emphasized that they are involved in the production of weapons of mass destruction, which I agree is a problem. What he did not do was define any new targets for attack in the future.

Some Europeans are concerned about America's go-it-alone, cowboy approach to the war on terror.

I do not share this concern. I feel that the allies are very much consulted.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has voiced concerns about a reported U.S. plan to change the regime in Iraq. Have you given President Bush advice on Iraq?

What I have said about attacking Iraq is that it is important that we bear in mind the cohesion of the international alliance against terrorism. I have also said that it needs to include leaders of moderate Arab nations. Iraq would be well advised to allow unconditional inspections--a reasonable demand that the United States is making.