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Merkel sees ‘much broader scope’ for cooperation with Biden
BERLIN, Jan 21, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel said
Thursday there was far more common ground to work together with Washington
now that Joe Biden has replaced Donald Trump in the White House.
Merkel said Germany and Europe were ready to do their part to address a
range of issues in the transatlantic in-tray including the coronavirus
pandemic, the climate crisis and security threats with the new
administration.
“There is a much broader scope of political accord with President Biden,”
Merkel told reporters, citing his return to the Paris climate accord and the
World Health Organization and his openness to migration as examples.
However she noted that observers expecting them to see eye-to-eye on all
issues of transatlantic importance would be disappointed, saying there would
of course be “debates about how we can do things well for both countries”.
“Biden represents the interests of the US, I represent those of the
Federal Republic of Germany,” she said.
But she pledged to heed the calls pre-dating Trump for Germany and Europe
to do more to foster global security particularly on defence.
“You hear everywhere people rightly saying that Europe will have to take
on more responsibility, that means not only militarily but also in the
diplomatic arena and many other areas,” she said.
“But the good news is that we in Germany are ready to do that, the EU is
also ready to,” she said.
Merkel said such debates would now take place on a “broader foundation of
shared convictions”.
BSS/AFP/IJ/1800 hrs