Deutsche Welle: Foreign Minister Steinmeier, the United Nations General Assembly convenes next week. What will be the main focus?

Frank-Walter Steinmeier: Unfortunately, like most years, it will be the reform of the United Nations. You know, there are a hundred and one suggestions for the reform of an institution like the United Nations. But I believe everyone recognizes that the organization must become more efficient and that the financing of the UN must be more stable. We are continuing to work on this but we are not making progress fast enough. In that respect, the topic of reform will once again be the dominating theme at the General Assembly.

Also, the Secretary-General has invited the heads of government to a meeting on climate and energy policy. We appreciate his ambition because only under the umbrella of the United Nations can the worldwide problem of limiting global warming be brought to a successful conclusion. We are looking ahead to the conference in Bali in December and will make it clear that a substitute for the expiring Kyoto Protocol must be internationally agreed to within the next year to eighteen months.

How much of a role will the subject of Iran play at the United Nations?

The subject of Iran will feature very heavily, especially when the president of Iran addresses the General Assembly. But more interesting is the meeting between the six states on the sidelines; the EU trio [Germany, France and Britain] plus Russia, China and the United States will consider what action to take next. We will have to analyze how much willingness there really is from Iran to cooperate. But we will also point out once more and make it clear that we cannot allow Iran to build nuclear weapons, secretly or openly. We must direct our combined efforts to limit and disarm all nuclear weapons.

Russia has made it known that it wants to rip up the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty. It has already suspended its involvement. You have already started an initiative to prevent the collapse of the treaty. What are the next steps?

I am concerned that what we are seeing is the questioning of the whole laboriously assembled disarmament architecture that has taken decades to build. It seems to be falling apart at the moment. The suspension announced by President Putin of the CFE contract -- a contract which should limit the arming of conventional armed forces -- is part of that.

We are trying very hard to promote a reasonable debate within the international community of states which is why we have invited many leaders to Berlin to discuss, once again, how this system can be saved within the disarmament architecture.

Are you optimistic?

One may not be excessively optimistic when you look at the whole argument. But optimism is not the only thing that drives one. If one wants to prevent negative developments and believes this can be done, one must be involved.

I your view, what role does Deutsche Welle play in the foreign media and in cultural work?

For me, it plays a central role and I want to take the opportunity to say with pleasure that Deutsche Welle is very important for us because it is present every day in regions where the foreign minister or his representatives only very occasionally visit. I am also very glad that Deutsche Welle continues to promote pluralism, democracy and the protection of human rights. I think this is necessary to stress over and over again.