His remarks, at the start of talks with his British counterpart Jack Straw, amount to an admission that, having failed to prevent the war starting in the first place, Berlin now hopes the US-led coalition will win.

"We hope that the regime will collapse as soon as possible and that we will have no further loss of innocent lives, civilians and soldiers," Fischer said in English.

"We hope this war will come to an end as soon as possible."

He said the humanitarian situation in Iraq "is very alarming and concerning for all of us."

Straw said that Britain, which has been the United States' closest ally in the war, still had much in common with Germany despite differences "which have been well aired."

He said the focus was turning to how to manage post-war Iraq and he hoped a peace conference could be held on its future, although he admitted "we're not there yet, we want to ensure that the military (element) can come to a proper conclusion."

The meeting came ahead of a series of talks Thursday in Brussels involving US Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Fischer said the situation in Iraq was very complicated and "we have to be creative about what we do," particularly to avert a humanitarian crisis.

Straw praised Germany's role in hosting conferences on Afghanistan, notably one at the end of 2001 which helped form the basis of the administration that took over after the ouster of the hardline ruling Taliban militia.

He said he was "optimistic" that there could be a common European approach on Iraq's post-war development despite differences over the conflict.

The talks over dinner in a Berlin hotel were also to include the Middle East -- including the "road map" to peace the United States has pledged to publish -- as well as Afghanistan and European Union affairs.

Straw had voiced confidence in London earlier that intra-European relations could be mended after the rows on Iraq, saying Britain was "in a new phase of relations with our friends in Europe as well as elsewhere."

Straw was to see French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin and Russia's Igor Ivanov during a NATO meeting Thursday in Brussels.

Germany has called for urgent humanitarian aid for Iraq, but has said it is too early to talk about reconstruction.

Paris and Berlin feel that talking about reconstruction now would mark a de facto legimitisation of the war which they had so fiercely opposed.

Fischer held talks Monday evening in Paris with his French counterpart. It was not clear what part the German minister would be playing at Thursday's meetings in Brussels or if he would meet Powell there.

SPACE.WIRE