German Chancellor Angela Merkel paid her first visit to Russia
Monday, just three days after her debut official visit to the
United States as the head of government.
Her visits to the two traditional rivals and "frank" and "candid
" talks with US President George W. Bush and Russian President
Vladimir Putin have set the keynote for the new German government's
foreign policies towards the two countries -- to mend and improve
German-US ties, and to maintain and broaden a "strategic
partnership" with Russia.
But political analysts say that German-US ties could only be
partly improved as deep-rooted differences remain.
As for German-Russian ties, observers believe that relations will
not cool as some analysts had expected, especially considering the
rapid expansion of economic and trade cooperation between the two
countries.
Ties improved, but gaps remain
Bilateral relations have become warmer between Germany and the
United States.
Merkel, who bases her government's foreign policies on two
pivots -- the unity of Europe and a close relationship with
Washington, has vowed to restore German-US relations which had been
soured since her predecessor Gerhard Schroeder opposed the US-led
invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Bush responded positively, expressing the wish to have better
associations with the new German leadership.
During her stay in Washington, Merkel won outspoken compliments
from Bush, who told a joint conference after talks, "My first
impressions in 45 minutes alone (with her) in the Oval Office were
incredibly positive..."
"I am convinced that we will have a really important and good
relationship," Bush said. He noted Germany has been "a valued ally"
of the United States.
Merkel said she was pleased that a new phase in the Germany-US
relationship has been opened. "I think that will open up a new
chapter, as I hope, in the relationship," she said.
They shared opinions on cooperation in Afghanistan, the Balkans
and the Middle East, and most importantly, reached consensus
concerning Iran's resumption of nuclear research as both called for
Iran to be referred to the United Nations Security Council.
However, gaps on issues concerning Iraq and the Guantanamo
detention center remained after Schroeder's departure from office,
Merkel admitted.
"Everyone knows there are not going to be German troops in Iraq,
that this is going to be a sensitive issue in the relationship",
she said.
Bush also said: "It has been a difficult issue in our
relationship and I fully understand that."
Bush rejected Merkel's call to shut up the Guantanamo detention
camp in Cuba, saying: "So long as there is a threat and the war on
terror goes on, we will inevitably need to hold people that would
do ourselves harm in a system ..."
Partnership with Russia to continue
Just three days after Merkel flew back from Washington, she
embarked on a visit to Moscow and held "frank" talks with
Putin.
?
She made clear that there is a clear difference between Germany's
"friendship" with Washington and its "strategic relationship" with
Moscow.
Merkel, the first German female chancellor, had decided to forge
a working relationship with Putin before her visit. She told the
German weekly news magazine Der Spiegel: "I do not think
that we share that many values with Russia. But we do have a vested
interest that Russia should develop in a reasonable manner."
The chancellor, seen to to be sober-minded by many, is
considered to be dealing with Russia in a pragmatic way as she
lists Russia as a key partner for Germany.
In the recent natural gas conflict between Russia and Ukraine,
Germany, the biggest importer of Russian natural gas, did not take
sides but urged the two countries to find a sustainable
solution.
Surprising some analysts, Merkel, who had criticized Schroeder
for his closeness with Moscow when in opposition, has not cooled
down German-Russian relations as they had speculated, though she
may not, like Schroeder, achieve a close personal relationship with
Putin.
Both Merkel and Putin expressed satisfaction with bilateral
trade, which reached US$32 billion last year.
"I think we can deepen our strategic partnership and put it on a
broader foundation," Merkel told a joint press conference with
Putin after a three-hour meeting. "We will have a very intensive
dialogue that is appropriate for our strategic partnership and can
help intensify it further."
On energy, Merkel stressed the "strategic" nature of a joint
project to build a gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea from Russia to
Germany, saying the pipeline "is a strategic project of great
importance for Europe and especially for Germany."
She changed her attitude towards the project, which were
advocated by Schroeder and Putin, after the Russia-Ukraine gas
crisis threatened gas supplies for western Europe. Previously she
had criticized Schroeder for the plan.
Merkel and Putin found common ground in furthering economic
bilateral ties and cooperation, and in finding a solution to the
Iranian nuclear issue.
In contrast to her predecessor, Merkel raised the issues of
Chechnya and the North Caucasus, over which Merkel admitted she and
Putin "did not always agree."
She also discussed with Putin a controversial new Russian law
passed in December which will make it more difficult for
non-governmental organizations to operate in Russia.
(Xinhua News Agency January 17, 2006)
