Schröder Government Holds Final Cabinet Meeting
Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and Chancellery Chief-of-Staff Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
The Red-Green cabinet met for what was probably the last time today. Chancellor Gerhard Schröder thanked the members of
his cabinet for their seven years of service in his government, saying: "It was a pleasure to work with you."
Speaking as the oldest member of the cabinet, Interior Minister Otto Schily noted that he was very grateful to have been
a part of what he felt was a good government over the past seven years.
Schily said the cabinet as a whole could take pride in what had been accomplished and praised Chancellor Schröder's
dialogue-oriented style of leadership. The cabinet also did some work at its final meeting, among other things giving
its approval to extend the mandate for German armed forces involvement in Operation Enduring Freedom. Justice Minister
Brigitte Zypries reported on the progress being made in the effort to simplify federal law and reduce the overall number
of laws and regulations.