A German ambassador for the Middle East peace process

(BRUSSELS2) Andreas Reinicke could be the next special representative for the Middle East peace process. Ambassador in Damascus (Syria), he has just been recalled "for consultation" by Berlin. Because, like several of his European counterparts (like the Frenchman Alain Juppé), the German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle is worried about the drift of the Syrian regime.

Born in 1955, Reinicke is a seasoned diplomat who has worked extensively on Middle Eastern issues. Before leaving for Damascus in 2008, he was the head of the Euromed and Middle East department at the German Foreign Ministry. In this position, he notably reflected the German policy of prudence vis-à-vis the process, but also supported in a concrete and practical way the strengthening of the Palestinian authority: training of the police in particular. Area where the European Union is particularly present with the deployment of the EUPOL COPPS mission. During his stay in Damascus, he notably prefaced a book on the "Voyage en Orient de Guillaume II en 1898" written by Hussein I. El-Mudarris & Olivier Salmon.