ISRAEL: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and German Chancellor Angela Merkel voice satisfaction over strengthened bilateral relations on the Jewish state's 60th anniversary year

Record ID: 395834

  • Title: ISRAEL: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and German Chancellor Angela Merkel voice satisfaction over strengthened bilateral relations on the Jewish state's 60th anniversary year
  • Date: 18th March 2008
  • Summary: PHOTO OP WITH ISRAELI AND GERMAN CABINET OFFICIALS
  • Embargoed: 2nd April 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Israel
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA4B91XRU0208UGZB2H164ICB49
  • Story Text: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and German Chancellor Angela Merkel voice satisfaction over strengthened bilateral relations on the Jewish state's 60th anniversary year.
    Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and German Chancellor Angela Merkel voiced satisfaction over strengthened bilateral relations in a news conference in Jerusalem on Monday (March 17).
    The leaders and their ministers also signed a series of agreements.
    "What is important is that we don't forget anything, but we will not spare any effort on the chances and the obligations to operate together to promise our nations, our region and the entire world, a better future of security, reconciliation, tolerance, and of peace." Olmert said.
    The Israeli Prime Minister added that Israel and Germany were both concerned about Iran's nuclear development. Iran says its nuclear research and development is intended for power generation, while Israel and many Western countries believe Iran to be developing nuclear weapons.

    "Both Germany and Israel, as was reflected in our statements; see with grave concern the continuation of Iran's steps to develop nuclear armament, and we are also joined in our acknowledgement that there is a need to continue to conduct a series of steps that will bring this development process to a halt." Olmert said.
    In response to Germany's relationship with Iran, Chancellor Merkel said, "Germany has very transparent trade figures, and if we look at Germany's trade figures with Iran, then even though, you are right, they don't stand at zero, they have been significantly reduced in recent years."
    Merkel also said that Germany was reducing its credits to Iran, for goods which the Republic was only able to receive from Germany.
    The Chancellor also said that the, European Union needed to take a more active role in supporting the Mideast peace process.

    "It is not enough to just talk about our responsibilities, we have to take concrete measures. One of these measures is, what we are working on in Germany, to improve the skills of the Palestinian security forces, within the framework of European Union cooperation. And as i have understood being here, such efforts are most welcome, because the Palestinians can't found their own state if they haven't got a police force to protect their state."
    Earlier, Israel and Germany's leadership held a joint cabinet session in an effort to further normalise relations between Germany and Israel.
    Merkel began her highly symbolic visit on Sunday (March 16) to Israel, where she will become the first German chancellor to address its parliament more than 60 years after the Nazi Holocaust that killed six million Jews.
    Before embarking on her three-day trip, Merkel had called on Iran to halt a nuclear programme which Israel has described as a threat to its existence. Tehran denies it is seeking to build atomic weapons.
    German officials said the chancellor's visit, on the Jewish state's 60th anniversary year, is intended to help further normalise relations between Germany and Israel.
    German and Israeli ministers, including the defence ministers, also met to hold talks on security issues.
    Merkel, 53, Germany's first chancellor to be born after World War Two, will address the 120-member Knesset, or parliament, on Tuesday (March 18), in German.
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