- Title: Afghan refugee boy has wish fulfilled, meets Germany's Merkel
- Date: 28th November 2016
- Summary: HEIDELBERG, GERMANY (NOVEMBER 28, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL ARRIVING FOR REGIONAL CONFERENCE OF HER CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS (CDU) IN SOUTHERN CITY OF HEIDELBERG CDU SUPPORTERS APPLAUDING MERKEL TAKING SEAT ON PODIUM AS AUDIENCE APPLAUDS AUDIENCE APPLAUDING (SOUNDBITE) (German) CDU SUPPORTER AND PARTY MEMBER FOR 40 YEARS, ULRICH SAUER, SAYING: "As a grandfather I think about the future of our country, maybe more than others. To make it short, Madame Chancellor, step down." (AUDIO: BOOING) With your truly unparalleled 'laissez-faire' refugee policy you have burdened us with something that we will not get rid of any time soon." MERKEL LISTENING, TAKING NOTES AS SAUER SPEAKS / SAUER HEARD SAYING: "Step down now before the damage you have done becomes even greater." (AUDIO: BOOING) MERKEL LOOKING ON (SOUNDBITE) (German) CDU SUPPORTER AND RETIRED TEACHER WHO NOW LOOKS AFTER REFUGEES, KONRAD REUTER, SAYING: "The little boy has one very big wish: he would like to see Mrs. Merkel. This has now happened." (AUDIO: LAUGHTER) AFGHAN BOY EDRIS BEING LIFTED UP BY HIS FATHER, SEEN ON SCREEN AS AUDIENCE APPLAUDS MERKEL SITTING, SEEN ON SCREEN (SOUNDBITE) (German) AFGHAN BOY, EDRIS, SAYING: "I would like to thank you, Mrs. Merkel." MERKEL ON SCREEN SEEN SMILING AS APPLAUSE IS HEARD (SOUNDBITE) (German) AFGHAN BOY, EDRIS, SAYING: "I am very, very happy." (AUDIO: APPLAUSE) (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "Did you want to say that you're happy? (YES heard from Edris) Okay, you learned a lot of German already. (YES heard) Do you sometimes speak German? (EDRIS: "I ONLY SPEAK TO MY DAD"). You speak German to your dad? That's pretty good already. Is your mom here too? ("NO") No, oh well then keep on practising. (AUDIO: APPLAUSE / MERKEL SMILES) AUDIENCE APPLAUDING MERKEL LISTENING TO EDRIS AS HE IS HEARD SAYING "I WANTED TO TOUCH YOUR HANDS ONCE" / MERKEL GETTING UP AND WALKING OVER TO EDRIS AND HIS DAD / EDRIS WIPING AWAY TEARS / MERKEL AND EDRIS WITH DAD POSING FOR CAMERAS / MERKEL RETURNING TO PODIUM MERKEL AND PARTY OFFICIALS SITTING ON PODIUM
- Embargoed: 13th December 2016 19:44
- Keywords: Germany Merkel refugees migrants Afghanistan CDU party conference
- Location: HEIDELBERG, GERMANY
- City: HEIDELBERG, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Asylum/Immigration/Refugees,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015ACYYPZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Moments after Chancellor Angela Merkel was faced with a call to resign on Monday (November 28) during a regional conference of her Christian Democrats (CDU), supporters broke out into loud applause when a small Afghan migrant boy simply told her "I would like to thank you, Mrs. Merkel".
Edris spoke after a man, who identified himself as a CDU member for the past 40 years, told the chancellor to booing: "Step down now before the damage you have done becomes even greater."
Edris was introduced during a question and answer session by a man who said he was a retired teacher now looking after refugees.
After telling Merkel he was "very, very happy", Edris said to the chancellor "I wanted to touch your hands once."
Merkel smiled, got up, left the podium and walked over to Edris and his father to greet them as the small boy was seen wiping away tears.
Last year, Merkel drew mockery online for stroking the back of a Palestinian girl facing possible deportation after she had reduced her to tears by explaining her policy on asylum.
A total of 1.1 million migrants entered Germany in 2015, far more than any other European country. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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