General Wolfgang Schneiderhan told Focus magazine's Monday edition that officers on all sides were making the effort not to let political decisions affect their cooperation.

"Cooperation is better than I have ever known it," said Schneiderhan, the Germany army's inspector-general.

"It is better than it was before because the military leaderships in the United States, Britain and here are making the effort so that events on the ground do not cause underlying damage," he added.

He said London and Washington had "militarily accepted" Germany's refusal to join the campaign in Iraq and were aware of Berlin's military contribution in other areas, such as Afghanistan and the war against terror.

"My NATO colleagues are grateful for that," Schneiderhan said.

SPACE.WIRE