Germany: No plans for missions to Mali, South China Sea

BERLIN

Germany on Friday rejected media reports about proposed plans to send military missions to Mali and the South China Sea.

There are "currently no concrete plans" for military operations, said Christian Thiels, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry in response to a question by Anadolu Agency.

Thiels was referring to a report by the Hamburg-based Spiegel news magazine which referred to plans by the German army for two new foreign military missions in Africa and Asia.

According to the news report, France has asked Germany to participate in setting up a new command unit in Mali.

A potential plan to send a frigate in the South China Sea has divided the German government, it added, as Berlin does not want to antagonize China which claims 80% of the strait between Taiwan and the mainland.