The German government said today it supported French proposals to intensify weapons inspections in Iraq.
It said most nations on the UN Security Council wanted a political solution to the conflict.
Chief government spokesman Mr Bela Anda said in a statement that Germany welcomed the presentation of new evidence by US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell to the Security Council on Iraq's suspected arms, saying it strengthened the world body.
"Along with the majority of the Security Council members, the government demands that the presented facts are handed over to the inspectors and examined on the ground. The inspectors must get the time they need for their work," he said.
Mr Anda called on Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to co-operate with the inspectors.
"The sitting on February 5th showed that the majority of Security Council members, just like Germany, want to exhaust all political means to solve the conflict, in particular for a continuation of the inspection regime," he said.