BERLIN: German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has criticised Nato’s decision to stage military manoeuvres in eastern Europe, warning such moves could worsen tensions with Russia.

His comments reflect growing divisions within Germany’s ruling right-left coalition over policy towards Moscow. Steinmeier’s Social Democrats (SPD) generally back a more conciliatory stance towards Russia than Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative bloc.

“What we shouldn’t do now is to inflame the situation by loud sabre-rattling and shrill war cries,” Steinmeier told Bild newspaper in an interview to be published on Sunday.

“Whoever believes that symbolic tank parades on the alliance’s eastern border will bring more security is mistaken,” Steinmeier said. “We are well-advised not to create pretexts to renew an old confrontation.” Steinmeier did not make clear which manoeuvres he was referring to but Nato has just completed a large-scale, 10-day military training exercise in Poland.

Steinmeier said history showed dialogue and cooperation were crucial elements of any successful deterrence policy.Steinmeier’s comments drew fierce criticism from Rebecca Harms, co-chair of the Greens group in the European Parliament.

She said Steinmeier was sending an “irresponsible signal” to Moscow at a time when Russia was still refusing to fully support efforts to end the Ukraine crisis and pull back troops from the eastern territory of the ex-Soviet republic. Elmar Brok, a close Merkel ally and head of the European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee, told German daily Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung on Saturday there was “no question” that the EU would extend by a further six months its economic sanctions imposed on Moscow over the Ukraine crisis. The decision will probably be made next week, he said.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2016