French minister sorry for Nazi remarks

Joschka Fischer (left) speech provoked the remarks

By Paris correspondent James Coomerasamy

French Interior Minister, Jean-Pierre Chevenement, has apologised for saying that Germany was not cured of its Nazi past.

Germany still dreams of the Holy Roman Empire - it has still not recovered from the derailment in its history that was Nazism

Mr Chevenement on Sunday

Mr Chevenement made his remarks during a television interview on Sunday, replying to a question about a recent speech by Germany's Foreign Minister, Joschka Fischer, in which he called for a more federal Europe.

I am deeply sorry because my thoughts were perhaps too complex to convey on television

Mr Chevenement on Monday

On Monday, Mr Chevenment said he was deeply sorry for his comments which he said had been misunderstood. He added that he liked Germany a lot.

Bad timing

Mr Chevenement's comments have come at a highly sensitive time in Franco-German relations.

Jean-Pierre Chevenement: "I love Germany"

Not only is France about to assume the rotating presidency of the European Union but there is a growing debate over how, what is known as the Franco-German motor of European development, is to be kick-started.

So far there has been no official reaction to Mr Chevenement's statement from either government.

It is not the first time that the minister has made controversial comments and neither France, nor Germany is interested in provoking a wider diplomatic row.