Nachrichtenagentur AP, Yahoo News, Settle Post-Intelligencer, The Boston Globe, 01.11.2002 Ex-Inspector Appeals to Germany Fri Nov 1,11:34 AM ET By DAVID RISING, Associated Press Writer BERLIN (AP) - A former U.N. weapons inspector and Gulf War (news - web sites) veteran on Friday appealed to German leaders to keep up their opposition to U.S. military action against Iraq, arguing that there are still alternatives to war. Scott Ritter, who served as a weapons inspector in Iraq from 1991-98, said Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's opposition to military action in Iraq during his campaign for Sept. 22 elections conveyed an important message to the American public. "The German election resounded across America, Germany sent a clear signal to the American people that Germany would not participate in a war against Iraq," said Ritter, in Berlin to speak at a weekend forum. Hans von Sponeck, former head of the U.N. oil-for-food program who quit his job in 2000 to protest the effect of international sanctions on ordinary civilians, criticized Germany's foreign minister for weakening his anti-war stance on a recent visit to Washington. Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said Thursday Berlin would not send troops to Iraq, but left open the possibility of playing a supporting role in a possible strike. "This is a step back," said von Sponeck, a German. Heads of the various peace groups that organized the forum said German and U.S. government officials declined invitations to take part in the two-day conference that starts Saturday. Ritter and von Sponeck, who have been on the public speaking circuit opposing war against Iraq, backed the return of U.N. weapons inspectors with unfettered access, saying previous teams had eliminated 95 percent of Iraq's deadly weapons and its ability to produce them. There have been no inspection teams in Iraq since Baghdad kicked them out in 1998. At a separate news conference, Raid Fahim of the Iraqi Communist Party said non-military means of pressing Saddam to give up weapons of mass destruction and also halt human rights abuses had not yet been exhausted. "War also brings destruction, and we know this regime will do anything to stay in power," Fahim said.