“Interview granted by Fischer to the Sächsischen Zeitung”

No region of Germany is so benefited by the European Union as the Eastern region. However, it doesn’t seem that important for its inhabitants. I am extremely convinced that in the frontier regions of Saxony, the situation with Poland and the Czech Republic will be better and it will be similar to that of the West, in the frontiers with Holland, Belgium or France. For many, Brussels might be too far away but if we have a weak Europe we’ll pay a high price; China, India, the United States and Japan don’t wait for us. Alone, as a human economy, we’re too small for this new global economy.
A military attack against Iran could represent an escalation nobody could control. We should only focus on the pacific instruments of democracy. Iran’s nuclearization would affect the stability of the region.
To believe we can overcome big countries such as China or Russia by force is a mistake. The internationally accepted fundamental values of peace and stability can’t be adapted according to the power of a country. In all my visits to Moscow we’ve always discussed the Chechen issue and the freedom of press. Russia is essential for the stability of Europe. That’s why we did not allow elections in Ukraine to be truncated. Otherwise, our relations with Russia would have suffered terrible consequences: we have to think about the zones of influence. Not rights, but strength would have prevail.
The solution to the tragedy in Chechen can only be political. There is no easy answer. To maintain the territorial integrity of Russia is necessary as well as not giving a chance to terrorists to guarantee the rights of the people. We can’t forget what Islamist terrorists did to the Russian forces. The tragedy in Beslan was not a conspiracy of the Russian secret services. We have to analyze all facts and their complexity. We’ll try to find an acceptable solution for both parts with the European Union and the OSCE.