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Ursula von der
Leyen told German broadcaster ZDF the alliance would be of help
if it joined other countries fighting Islamic State (IS), adding
that IS had gained strength from disagreement among various
opposition parties on how to fight or who to protect.
"I think it's right that the opposition is forming a group but
it needs to be - and this is important - part of the Vienna
process that includes all countries fighting against IS like the
U.S., Europe, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia but also Iran and
China," she said.
Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday it had formed a coalition,
headquartered in Riyadh, which included Arab countries such as
Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and Islamic countries
such as Turkey, Malaysia and Pakistan.
Von der Leyen also said Germany was rejecting a request from the
United States for Berlin to provide more military help in the
fight against Islamic State.
She said several dozen countries had received the letter and she
would write back saying Germany was on the same side as the U.S.
and was already doing a lot.
At the weekend Merkel also dismissed the request in an interview
after German magazine Der Spiegel reported that U.S. Defense
Secretary Ashton Carter had sent a letter asking for a bigger
military contribution from Germany.
Earlier this month the German parliament approved a plan to join
the campaign in Syria by sending Tornado reconnaissance jets, a
frigate to help protect the French aircraft carrier Charles de
Gaulle, refueling aircraft and up to 1,200 military personnel.
Germany will not join countries like Britain, France, the United
States and Russia in conducting air strikes though.
(Reporting by Michelle Martin; Editing by Lisa Barrington)
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