WikiLeaks is irritating and annoying for Germany, but not a threat. From an international perspective, I see their actions as totally irresponsible.

Everyone learns in a crisis.

One should never send soldiers on a mission based on just good will and good intent. Unfortunately, that can mean one has to stand by and watch human rights abuses take place.

Each government minister views the circumstances of each issue differently. An interior minister has a different view of visa liberalization than does a foreign minister.

The Internet is a modern infrastructure that plays a key role in the future of the state.

I am a politician, but I am also a Christian.

Service disruptions have to be avoided or at least resolved as quickly as possible. When the Internet goes down, consumers don’t notice the difference between a technical malfunction, an act of sabotage by hackers or a military attack.

I see no constitutional problems with the identification, staving off and defusing of outside threats.

The Americans are and remain our best friends, but this is absolutely not right. We can’t simply return to business as usual.

There is a connection between the issue of refugees and the battle against the so-called Islamic State.

Confidentiality and transparency are not mutually exclusive, but rather two sides of the same coin.

You cannot protect something without intervening on some level.

I am sympathetic to the fact that Turkey is doing everything it can to prevent the civil war in Syria from spilling over into its own country.

I stand for a strong state that safeguards freedom. I don’t need to show muscle for that.

Showing strength is different than showing muscle.

I don’t want anybody to accuse me of taking advantage of the situation to pursue a particular political agenda.

From my perspective, the state has to assume responsibility for the integrity of international communications.

Political leaders have to withstand headwinds.