Germany reacted with alarm on Monday to the emergency rule imposed in Pakistan, urging General Pervez Musharraf to stick to plans to hold elections in January. "The president of Pakistan should return to the planned timetable to hold elections in January and lift the state of emergency and the restrictions on the media," German government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm told a news conference.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a statement on Sunday that Pakistan's internal problems could only be solved by a return to democracy. "No-one questions the right of the Pakistani government to defend itself against terrorist attacks and to stand up for stability and security in Pakistan," Steinmeier said in a statement. "But in time these goals can only be achieved if Pakistan remains committed to democracy and the state of law."