01 August 2004	Sunday	14 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

BERLIN, July 31: Germany's policy of staying out of Iraq will remain in place even if Democratic candidate John Kerry beats George Bush in the US presidential election and applies pressure, a top German official said on Saturday.

Karsten Voigt, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's US policy coordinator, told the Berliner Zeitung newspaper that Berlin would anticipate Mr Kerry increasing pressure for it to play a larger role in Iraq if the Democrat wins the November election.

"The German government has made it clear that the German military will not be deployed in Iraq - and that remains valid regardless of the outcome of the US election," Mr Voigt said.

Mr Kerry said in a speech in Boston on Thursday the United States needs a president with the credibility to get its allies to share burdens and reduce risks to American soldiers.-Reuters