Germany could train more Iraq border guards-report

BERLIN, Nov 13 (Reuters) A German government spokesman was quoted today as saying that Berlin could expand its programme of training Iraqi border guards, but he gave no indication it would consider sending troops to Iraq.

Last week U S Democrats wrested control of the U S Congress from President George W Bush, partly because of dissatisfaction with his handling of the Iraq war. Afterwards, German President Horst Koehler said Germany and Europe should do more to help rectify a situation he said had become a disaster.

''We are also ready to do more,'' government spokesman Thomas Steg was quoted as saying by the Berliner Zeitung newspaper. ''We could also imagine doing this by expanding the training of border guards.'' Germany has helped Iraq by forgiving some Iraqi debt and training Iraqi military and police officials in the United Arab Emirates.

The Iraqi government would have to formally request more help from Germany, and further German assistance would require an improvement in the security situation, Steg said.

He gave no indication that Germany was prepared to send troops to help the United States and its allies combat the fierce insurgency, which shows no signs of subsiding.

The 2003 U S-led invasion of Iraq and the resulting occupation have been extremely unpopular in Germany.

Former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's opposition to the looming invasion of Iraq was a key factor in winning re-election in 2002, and his successor Angela Merkel has also ruled out sending troops there.

Karsten Voigt, coordinator for German-American relations at the foreign ministry, said the Democrats' victory would result in increased pressure from Washington for more German help in the hot spots of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Germany has contributed around 9,000 troops to peacekeeping missions in places like Afghanistan, the Middle East and Congo.

REUTERS SSC BS1414