In a speech to parliament, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder conceded that while he had been strongly opposed to the US-led campaign and still believed it was the "wrong decision... we were not able to prevent this war."

Berlin would stick to its promise not to take any part in the war, he said, but would fulfil its NATO-obligated commitments to give US forces overflight rights and unfettered access to bases here.

That also applied to German crews manning surveillance flights over Turkey, a fellow NATO ally, although he warned they could be withdrawn if Ankara sent troops into northern Iraq.

Schroeder also said he hoped the war would be over as soon as possible and that "with the overthrow of the dictatorship, the Iraqi people will be able to realise its dream of a life in peace, freedom and self-determination."

Germany was one of the fiercest opponents of the war, but has noticeably softened its tone since its start two weeks ago.

Analysts attribute that to a desire not to further aggravate relations with Washington, which was infuriated by the tone of Schroeder's anti-war rhetoric.

They also point out that while Germany joined forces with France to oppose the war, it is just as keen to improve relations with Britain, which has been the United States' closest political and military ally on Iraq.

In his speech, Schroeder said: "The United Nations has to play the central role in shaping Iraq's future and the political reorganisation of the country after the war."

Reconstruction did not just mean dousing a few oilfield fires and repairing damaged infrastructure nor granting a few concessions to companies to rebuild the country, he said.

"It is essential that any process of reconstruction is organised under the responsibility of the United Nations," he added.

Schroeder said there were four key planks for a fair, democratic reshaping of Iraq and the region -- guaranteeing Iraq's territorial integrity; letting the people of Iraq determine their own future; ensuring that Iraq maintained control of its own oil resources; and making progress in the Middle East peace process.

Schroeder said that the threat of weapons of mass destruction was arguably even bigger now than during the Cold War.

The only way to combat the threat is to act multilaterally through bodies such as the United Nations, NATO and the European Union, he said.

He said that was why it was so vital to have a viable common EU defence and security policy, envisaging a future in which EU soldiers could serve with UN peacekeepers.

The chancellor said it was "especially important" that Britain "is closely involved in this process."

France and Germany remained the motor of European integration, he insisted, saying their cooperation -- including opposing the war on Iraq -- was "one of the few positive developments of the current situation."

But he reached out again to London: "Without comprehensive cooperation with Britain and other members of a common Europe, we will not be able to bear the international responsibility that is rightly expected of us."

The chancellor said one of the main tasks was to enhance Europe's military capability so its troops could join in conflict prevention and peacekeeping -- but without allowing an EU force to become a world "policeman."

Schroeder said NATO, far from being outmoded, had to develop a bigger role in conflict management, notably through "more intensive mutual consultations, common analyses and collective prevention."

SPACE.WIRE