Germany's new chancellor, Angela Merkel, will meet with President George Bush in Washington on January 11, the White House has announced. The visit comes as the US and Germany try to improve relations following tensions under Merkel's predecessor, Gerhard Schroeder, who opposed the Iraq war. The No 2 official in the State Department, Robert Zoellick, was visiting Berlin today and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was planning a visit for next week. New German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier met with Rice in Washington on Tuesday
