Gerhard Schröder

Gerhard Fritz Kurt Schröder (born 7 April 1944) is a German politician who served as Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005, during which his most important political initiative was Agenda 2010. As the Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), he led a coalition government of the SPD and the Greens. Schröder has been chairman of Russian energy company Rosneft since 2017.

We don't wage war, but we are called upon to impose a peaceful solution.

Quotes

• Wir führen keinen Krieg, aber wir sind aufgerufen eine friedliche Lösung im Kosovo auch mit militärischen Mitteln durchzusetzen.
  • We don't wage war, but we are called upon to impose a peaceful solution in Kosovo by military means as well.
  • 24 March 1999 on German television, quoted in the documentary film ‘Es begann mit einer Lüge’, the complete manuscript of the film

• Wir werden Leistungen des Staates kürzen, Eigenverantwortung fördern und mehr Eigenleistung von jedem Einzelnen abfordern müssen.
  • We will be forced to cut state benefits, support personal responsibility and demand higher personal contributions from each individual.
  • government policy statement, 14 March 2003, quoted on ksta.de

• Jassir Arafats Streben war zeit seines Lebens darauf gerichtet, die Palästinenser in die Unabhängigkeit zu führen und einen souveränen, lebensfähigen palästinensischen Staat zu errichten.
  • As long as he lived, Yasser Arafat directed his efforts towards leading the Palestinians to independence and founding a sovereign viable Palestinian state.
  • letter of condolence to the then prime minister of the Palestinian National Authority Ahmed Qurei, 11 November 2004, quoted on zeit.de

• Wir müssen darauf bestehen, dass unserer Integrationsbereitschaft der Integrationswille bei denen entspricht, die zu uns kommen
  • We have to insist that those who come to us show a willingness to integrate that corresponds to our readiness to integrate them.
  • on the integration of immigrants, laudatory speech on the occasion of the presentation of the ’Preis für Toleranz und Verständigung’ (Prize for Tolerance and Understanding), 20 November 2004, quoted on dradio.de

• Ich glaube ihm das, und ich bin davon überzeugt, dass er das ist.
  • I believe him, and I'm convinced that he is.
  • responding to the question Ist Putin ein lupenreiner Demokrat? (Is Putin an exemplary democrat?), interview on the TV show ‘Beckmann’, 23 November 2004, quoted on dradio.de