From german-foreign-policy.com
Translated and commentated by Rodney Atkinson 12 November 2003
INTRODUCTION: In 1905 the French began to extend their control over Morocco. The German Government challenged this and the Kaiser made an ostentatious visit to Tangier where he visited the Sultan and promised to support his independence. The German Chancellor von Bulow and Foreign Minister von Holstein had planned the visit as a means of provoking a break in the Franco German détente and indeed the Rouvier Government in Paris saw the Tangier incident as a prelude to war. Germany, because of the reticence of the Kaiser, did not in the end push the matter so far but with the Russians and Japanese at war in the East and the British army scarcely recovered from the Boer War the opportunity was apparent. The affair was settled at the Algeciras Conference in 1906 when the French achieved what they wanted and Germany found itself isolated.
In 1911 in response to a French deployment of troops to Fez, Germany sent a gunboat the Panther and the German press greatly supported this show of strength, pointing to the economic benefits of mineral deposits in West Morocco. The German Foreign Secretary von Kiderlen-Waechter demanded France surrender to Germany the whole of the French Congo in return for French control of Morocco! Once again the Germans came off worse than the French but the affair accelerated the armaments race and hastened the coming (First World) war.
Now read on:
TUNIS/RABAT, November 2003
Germany is strengthening its defence cooperation with Tunisia and Morocco. As the German Defence Minister asserted after visits to Tunis and Rabat, Germany was turning “not only to the East” but also to conducting a dialogue with the North African States – independently of the “Opposite Coast” (ie France, Spain, Italy) (So much for that European “Common Foreign Policy” forced by Germany on its “partners”!)
The United States is also seeking greater influence in North Africa. As the Defence Ministry announces, Berlin wants to expand the longstanding activities of German “military advisers” in Tunisia and Morocco by means of closer military cooperation with Tunis. Germany moreover is demanding from both States that they prevent migration from North Africa to the European Union. At present speed boats of the German navy, as part of a NATO action group, are patrolling the Straits of Gibraltar. (1)
Armed Components
Berlin has been working for some time on the expansion of German economic and military influence in the North African MAGREB States. (2) This involves both the holding in preparedness of those willing emigrant workers and their dispersal to German companies abroad. A further reason for expansion is the internal European and trans-atlantic competition since this new offensive is taking place in areas traditionally influenced by the Mediterranean powers of France, Italy and Spain. The present desire of Berlin for a strengthened cooperation in these areas is in order to provide an armed (and completely independent of the USA) component of German Foreign Policy in North Africa.
1) see on german-foreign-policy.com Deutsche Marine vor Gibraltar
2) see on german-foreign-policy.com Deutsche Wirtschaft: Offensive in Algerien and Maghreb im Visier
Sources:
Verteidigungsminister Dr. Peter Struck besucht Marokko, Tunesien und deutsche Soldaten; Pressemitteilung des Bundesministeriums für Verteidigung 14.10.2003
Maghreb gehört zu Europa; Pressemitteilung des Bundesministeriums für Verteidigung 31.10.2003
Sprung über das Mittelmeer; Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 03.11.2003
