At least Merkel his getting some help....
Continued Stir Over Merkel's US Article
Berlin (dpa) -- Shortly before Angela Merkel's US trip the stir around the criticism of the Federal government by the CDU Chief has intensified. Government spokesperson Bela Anda seemed visibly angry on Friday, above all over the style of the censure. It's not usual for the Federal government to be criticized by a German politician in or through a foreign nation. That wouldn't enter a foreign politician's mind.
The party and fraction leader defended her actions and stated the reason as the damage to foreign policy consensus through Gerhard Schroeder (SPD). Merkel had sharply attacked Schroeder's position in an article for the "Washington Post" and accused him of ignoring the most important lessons in German politics with his "special way" on the Iraq issue.
Merkel travels to Washington next Sunday. There she will meet U.S. Vice-President Richard Cheney, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and U.S. president George W. Bush?s security advisor, Condoleezza Rice on Monday. The Iraq conflict will be the focus of the discussions. Further discussions in Washington and later in New York are planned with senators, Federal Reserve Bank boss Alan Greenspan as well as representatives from finance.
. Merkel said in the ZDF "Morning Magazine" she considers herself an ambassador from one part of Germany and is going to America as a politician from Europe, also. "It would be wrong to say that I absolutely agree with everything the Bush government does, but it does concern how one treats the USA as a friend and ally." The Hessian governor Roland Koch (CDU) encouraged Merkel to publicly criticize Schröder. "It is extraordinarily important to national interests that Americans know that all Germans don't share the same opinions as Gerhard Schröder. This is a service to Germany." Koch told the "Leipziger Volkszeitung" (Saturday edition).
Meanwhile Merkel was applauded for her criticism of the Federal government's Iraq policy from the American congress and German finance. The U.S. congressman Tom Lantos, at a meeting with representatives from German finance in Bonn, was "pleased" with Merkel's article. He criticized Schröder sharply at the same time. The chairman of the Federal Association of German industry, Michael Rogowski, said he stands fully behind Merkel.
erschienen am 21.02.2003 um 15:00 Uhr © WELT.de
"Die Welt" News Ticker..15:00 Weiter Wirbel um Merkels US-Beitrag
Translated by longjack
"Die Welt" News Ticker..15:00 Weiter Wirbel um Merkels US-Beitrag
longjack