BERLIN, Sept. 24 (Xinhuanet) -- Former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt on Friday spoke against Germany's bid for a permanent seaton the United Nations Security Council and urged the government toput more efforts on European issues instead of world politics.

    "It's not in Germany's interest to take part in every importantdecision over war and peace around the world and be responsible for the consequences," Schmidt told Germany's mass-circulation daily newspaper Bild.

    Germany should engage in the building of both international lawand the institutions of the UN and the Security Council, Schmidt said, but "a permanent seat on the Security Council is not necessary for this."

    Instead, Germany should focus on building a stronger and more cohesive European Union, on facing a major political challenge in the newly-enlarged bloc in the coming years, said Schmidt, who served as the Social Democratic chancellor of West Germany from 1974 to 1982.

    Schmidt's remarks came one day after German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer addressed the UN General Assembly and called for apermanent seat on the Security Council.

    Germany, Japan, India, and Brazil have declared mutual support for each other as candidates for permanent seats on the UN Security Council.

    Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States are now the council's five permanent members with veto power. Enditem