Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Barack Obama met at the White House on June 26 for a discussion in the Oval Office followed by a working lunch in their first bilateral meeting in the USA. In a joint press conference in the East Room, both leaders emphasized the longstanding bonds of friendship between Germany and the United States and stressed that no country alone can meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Enlarge image

Chancellor Merkel and President Obama emphasized the longstanding bonds of friendship between Germany and the United States in the meeting on June 26, 2009.

(© picture-alliance / dpa)

“Today we reaffirmed that the United States and Germany, one of our closest allies and an indispensable partner, will continue to play a leadership role across the range of challenges,” President Obama said. He called Merkel’s visit the latest chapter in the longstanding German-US partnership and said the bonds of friendship and trust between the two peoples are unbreakable.

Chancellor Merkel told President Obama that the German people have fond memories of his  recent trip to Germany, in which he visited Dresden and the concentration camp Buchenwald. In a year in which the Federal Republic of Germany is celebrating its 60th anniversary, Merkel said, “we’re more than aware of the fact that Germany would not stand as it stands today had not our American friends and partners helped us after the end of the second world war.”

The White House meeting was the leader’s fourth bilateral meeting. Merkel and Obama met for the first time in July 2008 in Berlin before Obama was elected. They then met in Baden-Baden in April before the NATO summit and in Dresden and Buchenwald in June.

Their discussion in Washington included a number of topics, including the current situation in Iran, the Iranian nuclear program, the peace process in the Middle East, relations with Russia, preparations for the upcoming summits of the G-8 and G-20 and the international economic and financial crisis, and climate protection.

Iran

Both leaders strongly condemned the violence against demonstrators in Iran. Obama called the violence outrageous. “Despite the government’s efforts to keep the world from bearing witness to that violence, we see it and we condemn it,” he said.

Merkel said the Iranian people should have the right to demonstrate peacefully. “The rights of human beings, of individuals, of citizens are indivisible the world over and also apply, therefore, to the Iranian people,” she said. Calling the scenes of violence by security forces in Iran horrifying, Merkel also pledged that Germany would  work on finding out the fate of the victims. From her own experience living in Communist East Germany, Merkel said, she knows how important it is for people in this type of situation to know that there are people in the world who care about what happens to them.

On the Iranian nuclear program, both Merkel and Obama stressed that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. They discussed the need to bring in Russia and China in a dialogue on the nuclear issue with Iran. “We would like to have a diplomatic solution to preventing Iran from gaining possession of a nuclear weapon,” Merkel said. “So I completely agree with the President here. We have to bring Russia and China alongside in order to see to it that this solution is brought about.”

Russia

Enlarge image

President Obama greets Chancellor Merkel at the start of their meeting in the Oval Office.

(© BPA; by Bergmann)

The leaders discussed President Obama’s upcoming trip to Moscow, with Chancellor Merkel wishing Obama success on the visit, which will include disarmament as an agenda item. “A partnership with Russia is very important for Germany, also important for the European Union, but we have every interest, also, in seeing a very good relationship between the United States of America and Russia,” she said.

International economy

Chancellor Merkel said they made progress in discussing preparations for the upcoming G-8 and G-20 summits and were on a good path. She also said she was grateful to have been able to work with Obama on principles for what will happen after the international economic and financial crisis.  President Obama reiterated the United States’ commitment to strengthening financial regulations.

Climate

Referring to the American Clean Energy and Security Act up for a vote in the House of Representatives on Friday, Chancellor Merkel called the legislation a “sea change and a huge step forward” in US climate and energy policy. Both leaders agree that the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December must be successful in reaching a follow-on agreement to Kyoto.

Enlarge image

Ambassador Scharioth looks on as Chancellor Merkel and Speaker Pelosi address the media in Washington in June 2009.

(© German Embassy, Washington, DC)

President Obama highlighted Germany’s leadership role on clean energy and climate issues. “I reiterated America’s commitment to stand with Germany and lead in confronting the energy and climate change crisis,” he said.

Meeting with House Speaker Pelosi

Before her meeting with Obama, Chancellor Merkel met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Capitol Hill in the morning, where the upcoming vote on energy legislation in the House was a topic. Speaker Pelosi invited Chancellor Merkel to speak at a joint session of Congress when she returns to Washington.

Award for strengthening transatlantic relations

The day before her meeting with Obama, Chancellor Merkel was honored by the Berlin-based Atlantik-Brücke for her work in strengthening tranatlantic relations. In a ceremony at the Library of Congress, Chancellor Merkel received the organization’s Eric M. Warburg Award.