Merkel: It was right not to gloss over differences with U.S. on climate

Record ID: 877136

  • Title: Merkel: It was right not to gloss over differences with U.S. on climate
  • Date: 29th May 2017
  • Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (MAY 29, 2017) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL ARRIVING AT CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, GREETING PARTICIPANTS PEOPLE IN AUDIENCE MERKEL WALKING TO STAGE CLOSE OF MERKEL SPEAKING AUDIENCE MEMBER TAKING PHOTO WITH PHONE (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "We are talking about John F. Kennedy. He stood for the hopes of a whole generation, for a new start and progress. His message was, and I would like to quote him: "Change is the law of life. Those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." Kennedy was addressing a phenomenon that we can still see today. Change brings uncertainties, skepticism - born of the uncertainty of whether things will work out or not. And not infrequently a romanticisation of the so-called good old days. And particularly in light of the complexity of globalisation the wish for straightforward answers grows stronger. But today, whoever puts national blinkers on and doesn't look around at the world around them is, I am convinced, going the wrong way." WIDE OF MERKEL SPEAKING PEOPLE IN AUDIENCE LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "And this is also the case for such an all encompassing and long-term task that is climate protection. The Paris Agreement of 2015 was, with Agenda 2030, a historic step. But for a historic success we still have a long way ahead of us. How long and how rocky this path will be became clear at the G7 talks at the weekend when no agreement was reached with the United States and that is why I had to say that the consultations were very unsatisfying. But I think it was good that we didn't gloss over our differences. It was unavoidable that Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan and Canada - without the United States - as six of the seven states of the G7 Summit, would express their absolute resolve to support the Paris Treaty and to implement it." CAMERAMAN PEOPLE IN AUDIENCE LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "Representatives of the European Union also counted to these six states. We are convinced trans-Atlanticists and precisely because we are, we know that trans-Atlantic relations are of immense importance for us all. They rest on mutual values and interests, particularly when we are in times, as we are now, of intense challenges. But the last few days showed me that the days where we could completely rely on others are over. We are and will remain close partners. Germany is, of course, a close partner of the United States. We are and will stay convinced trans-Atlanticists but we also know that we Europeans really have to take our destiny into our own hands. APPLAUSE that we Europeans have our destiny in our own hands and that we do this together, for Europe and for our values and interests." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "If we take our values seriously, then I am certain we can rise to every challenge. That we Europeans are capable of this, that we can be determined to do this, we proved in the last months in relation to the decision of the citizens of Great Britain and we have proved it in the past with such a huge topic as climate change - an enormous challenge for mankind, as we know." MERKEL SPEAKING MERKEL LEAVING STAGE
  • Embargoed: 12th June 2017 15:31
  • Keywords: G7 climate change EU Trump Merkel
  • Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
  • City: BERLIN, GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: G7,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016IW62X3
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday (May 29) it was right not to gloss over differences with the United States on climate issues and added that a G7 debate at the weekend had shown it would be tough to make the Paris climate agreement successful.
    U.S. President Donald Trump refused to endorse the global climate change accord at the G7 meeting of wealthy nations at the weekend, saying he needed more time to decide.
    Speaking at a conference on sustainable development in Berlin, Merkel reiterated her view that allies could no longer always be relied on and that Europeans should take their fate into their own hands more - a comment that shocked Washington and London when she first made it on Sunday.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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