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Germany open to int'l push on Gaza arms smuggling

Tue Jan 6, 2009 12:31pm EST
BERLIN, Jan 6 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel is open to international steps to stop the smuggling of weapons into Gaza and sees a halt to the smuggling as necessary for a lasting ceasefire, Merkel said in a statement on Tuesday.

In a statement issued by the government press office, Merkel said she had spoken to U.S. President George W. Bush and Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan about Gaza.

"All sides stress that a sustainable ceasefire without a halt in weapons smuggling in Gaza is unimaginable. The Chancellor did not rule out international support on this," said the statement.

(Reporting by Dave Graham and Noah Barkin)


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