Berlin - Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has praised his old East German counterpart Erich Honecker during an interview, 20 years after the events which brought down the Berlin Wall.

"Honecker was a serious politician, he had character and ambition," Gorbachev said in an interview with German daily Bild, released ahead of publication on Saturday.

"Sure, Erich Honecker made mistakes, but he wanted to serve his country. He was a true German, one who had fought against Hitler during the war," Gorbachev added.

Nevertheless the former Russian head of state, a Nobel laureate for his role in ending the Cold War, criticized Honecker's rigid position during the wave of political reform spreading through eastern Europe.

Gorbachev said, when he called upon Honecker to implement a process of liberalization known as 'perestroika', Honecker replied, "We have already had our perestroika," referring to minimal changes within the totalitarian East German state.

The elderly statesman also said Honecker missed the opportunity for reforms which could have improved the East German economy.

Gorbachev said, in the long term East Germany could not have survived.

"Reunification would have occurred at some point, possibly in a different manner," he told Bild.

Last week, Gorbachev took part in celebrations marking the 19th anniversary of German reunification in Berlin. (dpa)