Sigmar Gabriel
In Germany was replaced by the head of the Ministry of foreign Affairs. The corresponding decree posted on the website of President Joachim gauck.
It notes the huge contribution of the former Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. “All of us will be hard to get used to the change, — stated in the text. — The name of Frank Steinmeier forever linked to German foreign policy. It without rest negotiated, acted as a mediator, convinced and persuaded. His energy he demonstrated in the talks on the Iranian nuclear deal and while contacts between the warring parties in Ukraine.”
New foreign Minister appointed the former head of the Ministry of economy, Sigmar Gabriel. “You take the foreign Ministry in difficult times — warned him gauck. — The stakes are high as ever. We are faced with serious challenges: we need to protect the EU and the Transatlantic partnership and work towards the future. I wish you good luck”. In place of Gabriel appointed former justice Minister Brigitte zypris.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier has served as foreign Minister from 2005 to 2009 and from 2013 through 2017. He developed a three-step plan of settlement of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict, helped to establish contacts between Georgia, Russia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia in August 2008. In February of 2014 was one of the guarantors of the signing of the agreement on settlement of political crisis in Ukraine between President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych and opposition leaders. Nominated as a candidate for President of Germany in the elections of 12 February 2017 from “Christian democratic Union” (CDU) and Social democratic party of Germany (SPD).