Monday, July 3, 2017

US no longer a `friend' in Merkel's poll programme

Jul 04 2017 : The Times of India (Chennai)
US no longer a `friend' in Merkel's poll programme
Berlin
REUTERS


In their campaign programme for the German election, Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives have dropped the term “friend“ in describing the relationship with the US. Four years ago, the joint programme of her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party , the Christian Social Union (CSU), referred to the US as Germany's “most important friend“ outside of Europe.But the words “friend“ and “friendship“ are missing from the latest election programme, entitled “For a Germany in which we live well and happily.“ Instead, the US is described as Germany's “most important partner“ outside of Europe.
The change in wording underscores how relations between Berlin and Washington have deteriorated since US President Donald Trump entered the White House in January .
During his campaign, Trump said that Merkel was “ruining“ Germany with migration policies he described as “insane“. He has repeatedly denounced Germany's trade surplus with the US, accused Berlin and other European partners of owing “massive amounts of money“ to Nato.

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