You have failed in this question. That's why you are in such a difficult position.

I think it was a big mistake by the chancellor to take a position before he saw the (U.N.) inspectors' report. That isolated Germany.

We believe that we are going into the final phase of this election campaign in an excellent position. We feel well-equipped.

This multicultural approach, saying that we simply live side by side and live happily with each other has failed. Utterly failed.

On the one hand, the financial projection is on the agenda - we will see if this problem can be resolved or not. I think it is a right idea to stage a special summit, which would deal with the question of priorities of European politics.

I've often made critical comments about settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and in east Jerusalem, and my position hasn't changed. At the same time, it's equally important to me that the two sides, both Israel and the Palestinians, work towards a durable peace settlement: that's to say a viable two-state solution.