A new Ostpolitik for Germany?

One half of Germany's national government is proposing a new "Ostpolitik" for German relations with Russia. The Social Democrats recently came out with a position paper proposing that closer German Russian relations could widen into a stronger European Russian partnership. Russia, of course, is a major supplier of oil and natural gas for Germany and Europe. And Russia recently has been attempting to use its energy resources as a means to wield its influence and clout worldwide. Witness last winter's shutoff of gas to the Ukraine and the recent closing of all economic relations and transportation with Georgia. Ostpolitik might be nothing more than an attempt to prime the pumps to keep them flowing.

The other half of the government, Merkel's Christian Democrats voice suspicion towards this new policy. They want Germany to be more evenhanded towards the Russians and take into consideration the interests of Poland and the Baltic States, not just Europe's ties to Russia. They will soon come out with their own position paper. This situation points to the impasse that has bedeviled the government since it was formed,