News from Berlin

Merkel Defends the Value of Cooperation With the United States Despite ‘Different Ideas’ on the Role of Secret Services

July 15th, 2014
2014.07.15Merkel defends cooperation with the United States despite ‘different ideas’ on the role of secret services.jpg

News from Berlin - At a press conference held in Berlin on July 14th the German chancellor stated that a ‘difference of ideas’ between the two countries can be addressed in good faith. She decidedly defended continued cooperation on a Free Trade Agreement with the US, during what many perceive to be at least a complication in German-US relations.

The German chancellor said that Germany, as a major export nation, will greatly benefit from the treaty. She stated that the ‘crisis’ should merely be seen as evidence that the countries hold “different ideas on the role of intelligence services”. She said that the United States should renovate the tasks of their intelligence services, referring to an outdated idea of diplomacy belonging to the Cold war era. Merkel stated that today we should have moved on from a world in which everyone distrusts the other, and said that she looks forward to a tranquil discussion of the points of disagreement on the issue.

The chancellor emphasized that the United States boasts the same values as Germany, and in many aspects is an inspiration to Germany. She stated that she therefore values the cooperation that “will continue” between Germany and the United States, urging that countries should focus on the more important threats to security that face the world today. She emphasised “security is the ultimate objective and that confidence means security”.

At the end of the press conference Merkel insisted that although the countries might have different ideas on some matters, including that it is unacceptable to spy on one another, Germany values cooperation with the United States. She emphasized that the difference of ideas can be discussed calmly, and that this affair will not lead to a worsening of cooperation between the German and American secret services, also referring to cooperation on counterterrorism.

 

News from Berlin – Berlin Global