BERLIN, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The negotiations for the creation of a new German government entered a new phase on Tuesday as the Greens start making concessions on their climate goals promised during the election campaign.
Representatives of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Christian Social Union (CSU), Free Democratic Party (FDP) and Greens (Gruene) have signaled their willingness to compromise on Monday to overcome the current impasse in official talks for a "Jamaica" coalition which is labelled for their party colors,
Green party leader Cem Oezdemir on Tuesday waived his party's demand to ban new gasoline and diesel fuelled cars by 2030. The Greens had previously refused to join the government without the deadline for combustion engines in the coalition agreement.
The three parties involved in the negotiations plan to present the interim results on Friday, CDU parliamentarian Michael Grosse-Broemer told press on Tuesday. The coalition negotiations are slowed down by the parties differing positions, especially concerning immigration and climate protection.
The Green party's concessions were met with criticism from members of CDU and CSU who have previously refused the implementation of a deadline concerning combustion engines.
Head of the Bundestag group of CSU parliamentarians Alexander Dobrindt told newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung on Tuesday that "abandoning nonsensical deadlines" were "not a compromise," since the issue was "never really up for debate." Dobrindt urged all parties involved to find answers and solutions instead of "piling up questions."
Members of the Green Party also signalled their willingness to compromise on the ban of coal power plants by 2030. Party chairwomen Simone Peter told newspaper Rheinische Post that it did not matter "whether the last coal power plant will be shut down in 2030 or 2032." The party now focused on reducing CO2 emissions by 40 percent by 2020 compared to 1990.
In exchange for the concessions on fossil fuels combustion, head of the Green parliamentary fraction Anton Hofreiter urged the members of FDP and CDU/CSU to also make compromises in favor of Green party goals including the treatment of refugees in Germany.
"Especially concerning the automotive industry," the Greens would not accept the "cronyism of the past," Hofreiter told public broadcaster ZDF.
Frank Sitta, vice-chairman of the FDP parliamentary group, welcomed the offer of compromise by the Greens, announcing similar concessions to be made by his party. "We want to approach the matter carefully," Sitta told public broadcaster MDR.
