Germany: Some allies irritated by Syria 'intnl security zone' suggestion, says Maas

W/S German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Antanas Linkevicius arriving, Berlin
SOT, Heiko Maas, German Foreign Minister (German): "After the proposal of the party chairperson of the CDU [Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer], some questions from our allies have been reaching us since yesterday, and there is unarguably some irritation among our allies. Then, in the face of the actually-described situation, there is no discussion with our partners in this moment about the establishment of an international security zone [in Syria]."
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SOT, Heiko Maas, German Foreign Minister (German): "For me one thing is clear, that a security zone which stabilises the Turkish military success permanently wouldn't deserve this name; and there can't be a recognition or strengthening of the Assad regime through the back door."
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SOT, Heiko Maas, German Foreign Minister (German): "But it is clear that Germany was and still will be engaged in the conflict resolution, also when it will be difficult and lengthy."
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SOT, Heiko Maas, German Foreign Minister (German): "We are making an effort to have a quick meeting of the anti-IS coalition. We want to extend the anti-IS mandate; then this engagement is currently very important under those circumstances."
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SOT, Heiko Maas, German Foreign Minister (German): "To make a decision about a suggestion like this in the end, I have to know its details, but there are no details and we have the same questions as our allies."
W/S Maas and Linkevicius shaking hands
SCRIPT
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas stated that there were no discussions ongoing between Germany and its allies over the possibility of establishing an 'international security zone' in Syria. His comments were made at a press conference in Berlin on Tuesday. They follow suggestions made a day earlier by German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, who put forward the idea that an internationally controlled security zone could be established in Syria.
Maas said he had detected some "irritation" from Germany's allies in the wake of the comments. He stated that they wanted to reach out to German officials to find out more about the defence minister's recommendations.
"To make a decision about a suggestion like this in the end, I have to know its details, but there are no details and we have the same questions as our allies," Maas said.
Kramp-Karrenbauer made the suggestion in an interview with DW on Monday.
Maas held the Tuesday press conference alongside his Lithuanian counterpart Linas Antanas Linkevicius.