BERLIN The U.S. concept of an axis of evil "gets us nowhere," German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said Monday in sharply critical comments on recent remarks by President George W. Bush about Iran, Iraq and North Korea.

In an interview with the Tuesday edition of the newspaper *** Die Welt ***, Fischer said: "Where does it get us throwing Iran, North Korea and Iraq all into the same pot?"

Cautioning Washington against unilateralism, Fischer said: "Not even the most powerful nation can, single-handedly, lead a world of six billion people towards a peaceful future."

Alliance partners were not to be treated as mere satellites, he warned. New U.S. rearmament would only lead to an increase in the world's "potential for desperation," AFP quoted him as saying.

Urging special caution over Iraq, Fischer warned against the danger of unilateral action "without convincing proofs."

The international coalition against terror was not a basis "to take action against just anybody -- and especially not unilaterally".

At the same time, Fischer urged Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to allow United Nations armaments inspectors back into the country.

Last week German Defense Minister Rudolf Scharping dismissed the idea that the United States was planning an attack against Iraq as part of its campaign against terrorism.

"Such an operation would involve months of preparation and it would be virtually impossible to keep it secret," he said.