Germany rules out airstrikes on Syria, but open to contribute in other ways

Germany and the United States agree on the need to do everything possible to prevent the use of chemical weapons in Syria, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Wednesday after meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Maas said the meeting included intense discussions about the situation in Syria, and both sides wanted to increase the pressure for a political solution and wanted a constitutional congress to be held as soon as possible.

He said Pompeo understood the political debate in Germany about possible participation in any U.S.-led reliatory military strike in the event of a chemical weapons attack, and that parliament was unlikely to approve such a move, but Germany could contribute in other ways.

(With inputs from agencies.)