GERMANY: Chancellor Angela Merkel says U.S. relationship of 'paramount importance' despite spying affair

Record ID: 402434

  • Title: GERMANY: Chancellor Angela Merkel says U.S. relationship of 'paramount importance' despite spying affair
  • Date: 18th November 2013
  • Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (NOVEMBER 18, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MERKEL SPEAKING
  • Embargoed: 3rd December 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA622G7O3JSLW6W4YZKOB0ZGBRL
  • Story Text: German Chancellor Angela Merkel highlights the importance of the relationship between Germany and the U.S. despite allegations of spying by the U.S. National Security Agency. Speaking to parliament she also called on Ukraine to take "credible steps" towards an EU trade deal.
    German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday (November 18) said the relationship between the U.S. and Germany was currently being "put to the test" as allegations of spying by the National Security Agency continue to deepen.
    Speaking in the German lower house of parliament in a speech which was to focus on partnerships with eastern European countries, Merkel said that trust between the two countries would have to be rebuilt.

    "The allegations are serious. They must be explained and more importantly new trust must be built up for the future," Merkel said, adding
    "This can only happen through transparency on the one hand and awareness on the other hand so that the transatlantic relationship for both partners, and I repeat for both partners, especially for Germany, is an important guarantee of our freedom and our safety. I therefore say that despite everything, the German-American and the transatlantic relationship remains of paramount importance to Germany and also to Europe."
    There has been outrage in Germany since reports emerged that the NSA had monitored Merkel's cellphone.
    During her speech, Merkel also said that Ukraine must take "credible steps" in order to clinch a trade agreement with the EU, but also promised to counteract any retaliatory measures from Russia if Kiev did what was needed to secure a deal.

    "We know that reforms cannot completely be carried out in a day. We also want to support Ukraine in its reforms, with offers of cooperation, with financial means from the European Neighbourhood Policy. But the conditions for this must be achieved by Ukraine itself and not just sometime, but rather now," she said.
    With less than two weeks to go before the agreement is due to be signed at a summit in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, the European Union has made clear that Ukraine has not done enough to meet the conditions for a signing.
    The main sticking point is Ukraine's jailing of former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, a fierce opponent of President Viktor Yanukovich. The EU, which sees Tymoshenko as the victim of a political trial, is pressing Yanukovich to end the stand-off and free her to be able to go to Germany for medical treatment for back trouble.
    Mentioning Tymoshenko by name, Merkel said the EU expected the former Soviet republic to show movement on the issue of "selective justice". It must also modernise its election system and fulfill other criteria specific to the trade and cooperation deal, she said.
    The Ukrainian parliament, dominated by Yanukovich's allies, has been deadlocked over agreeing a draft law to release Tymoshenko to go to Berlin for treatment. It holds a crunch session on the issue on Tuesday (November 19), though Yanukovich's supporters in parliament said on Monday that no outline agreement had yet been reached to free her.
    Merkel also called on the government of Belarus to release political prisoners.

    "Since the latest repression during the presidential elections in December 2010, political prisoners are still being detained. Citizens who have struggled for plurality in this society were put behind bars. I think, among others, about Ales Bialiatski, the winner of the European Council prize for human rights. We all want these people to be allowed to freely talk and act," she said.
    Addressing the ambassador of the Philippines to Germany, who was present in parliament, Merkel said that Germany would do all it could to help the country which was struck by a deadly typhoon more than a week ago.

    "The German Foreign Minister is in constant contact and I have personally talked on the phone with President Aquino and you can know that we will do everything that we possibly can to stand beside the people of the Philippines in this difficult time," she said.
    More than 3,900 people are believed to have been killed when Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in the central Philippines on November 8 and the sea surged ashore like a tsunami.
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