Strasbourg, 24/09/2002 (Agence Europe) - The German leader of the EPP-ED Group, Hans-Gert Poettering, took advantage of the press conference on the fringe of the European Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg to return to the results of the German elections (see page 6). While stating that the CDU-CSU had had a "very good success" and that it was their Liberal partner that had let them down, he presented his "expectations" of the new federal government and placed emphasis on the latter "respecting European law and its word", so that "Germany can be trusted". He considered that on the Iraqi issue, the attitude of Chancellor Schroeder rendered a common EU position impossible and opened the way to confrontation with the United States, which, he said, is also harmful for the EU. Mr. Poettering thus called on the federal government "always to move down the European path and show solidarity with its partners". Pleading in favour of a common position on Iraq with Germany's backing, he acknowledged that that also had to apply to the British Government. Mr. Poettering also insisted on seeking a Franco-German common position on several subjects, especially on subjects dealt with in the European Convention.