German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle reiterated Berlin’s opposition to a possible foreign military intervention in Syria, focusing on the fact that such measures might engulf the entire Middle East.

During a meeting in Doha on 4 June 2012 with the emir of Qatar, Mr. Westerwelle stated that Kofi Annan’s peace plan offers the best solution for the situation created in Syria. He also expressed Berlin’s disapproval of the position of some Western and Arab governments, including Qatar itself, promoting military intervention in Syria.

"We must avoid a conflagration that could set the whole region on fire. Considering the highly complex and dangerous situation in Syria, we must not create the wrong expectations, pretending that we could bring about a quick solution with a military intervention," he said before his five-day tour of the Middle East.

After Qatar, Guido Westerwelle visited the UAE, where he held talks with his counterpart, Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

In Abu Dhabi, the head of German diplomacy emphasized the importance of preventing the disorders occurring in Syria, which are beginning to spill over this country’s borders. He recalled in particular that clashes related to the Syrian conflict have already spread to Lebanon, where several people were killed during fights between pro- and anti-Assad groups.