The German government today rejected as "pure speculation" a magazine report saying it had already decided internally to vote against any UN Security Council resolution authorising war on Iraq.
Der Spiegelmagazine reported that, despite statements to the contrary, the government had made a decision it would "definitely not vote 'yes' on any war vote". Germany began a two-year term on the Council and will chair it in February. "Reports about how Germany will vote in the Security Council are pure speculation," a government spokesman said.
Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, when asked about the magazine report on a trip to Athens, said Germany has made its position clear.
"Our position is clear: we reject a military involvement," Mr Fischer said. "We want the implementation of the UN Resolution 1441 without violence, everything else is speculation."
In November, the Security Council passed Resolution 1441 warning Iraq it faced serious consequences if it did not disclose or destroy any banned weapons it may possess but it did not specifically authorise military attack.
Some countries have said a second UN resolution would be needed to authorise war if Iraq is found to be in material breach of the resolution, though the United States says it could attack Iraq without it.
Germany could also abstain if the Security Council called a vote on the use of force against Iraq, and even if it voted against an attack, it does not have the power of veto. Only the five permanent council members have a veto.
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder repeatedly said Germany would not take part in a military intervention in Iraq, angering Washington by campaigning against any war in Iraq as a central plank of his re-election bid. But Schroeder has rejected any suggestion Germany has already decided how it might vote.