BERLIN, June 3: German chancellor Angela Merkel has pleaded with foreign tourists not to believe the hype about racism in Germany. Despite a media frenzy about racism and the possibility of attacks against the expected one million foreign football fans descending on the country for the World Cup from June 9-July 9, Merkel tried to ease fears in an interview with newspaper Bild am Sonntag, due to be published Sunday.

“Unfortunately we have had a few racist attacks which must absolutely be condemned,” she said.

“But the vast majority of Germans are not xenophobic. You cannot say that most Germans are xenophobic.”

Several recent racist attacks in the country have been highlighted in the press over the last few weeks as 3.5 million football tourists are expected in the country to enjoy the football extravaganza.

But German interior minister Wolfgang Schauble begged the press Saturday not to blow unsavoury incidents out of proportion.

“Every attack against a foreigner is one too many but the vast majority of our society are warm and friendly towards the entire world,” said Schauble. “We are good hosts, Germans are not bad people.”

Meanwhile, German diplomatic chief Frank-Walter Steinmeier told newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeinen Sonntagszeitung that German people should use the World Cup to show the world they are “open, friendly, helpful and tolerant.”

However, several neo-Nazi movements are planning to use the showpiece event to demonstrate their support for hardline and controversial anti-semitic Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.—AFP