Germany’s SPD signals readiness to discuss Schroeder’s mediation in EU-Russia dialogue

BERLIN, May 10. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to make former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder a mediator in possible negotiations between Russia and the EU should be seriously considered, said Adis Ahmetovic, a foreign policy expert for the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) faction in the Bundestag. "Any proposal needs to be seriously examined to determine its credibility," the MP said in an interview with the Der Spiegel magazine. "Our goal should be to sit at the negotiating table," Ahmetovic noted. "If the participation of ex-German chancellor is a condition for this, it should be weighed in close coordination with our European partners, not categorically ruled out right away," he stressed. In turn, Bundestag member Ralf Stegner, also from the SPD, called for discussing the Russian president’s proposal as well. "I welcome any initiative that could end the war," he told Der Spiegel. "If it can be achieved through someone like Schroeder, it would be frivolous to reject it," Stegner said. The former chancellor’s office said in response to a request from the DPA news agency that Schroeder would not make any statements regarding whether he was willing to mediate in the dialogue between the EU and Russia. Putin said on Saturday, answering journalists’ questions, that Schroeder is the preferred candidate for possible negotiations between the EU and Russia. Moscow has never been closed to negotiations, he added.