Bush and Chancellor Merkel to meet Jan 4th.

Merkel, Bush to Hold Talks on January 4

I hope she can give him a reality check.

Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: United States President George W. Bush, right, points out a member of the audience to Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, left, following their speeches at the Gala Dinner of the 100th Anniversary meeting of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. on May 4, 2006. Foto: Ron Sachs +++(c) dpa - Report+++

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will visit Washington on January 4 for talks with US President George W. Bush on issues like the stalled Middle East peace process, the two governments said.

They will also take up efforts to quell violence in Afghanistan and Iraq, Iran's disputed nuclear ambitions, instability in Lebanon and efforts to decide the final status of Kosovo, according to spokesmen for the two leaders.

Because Germany assumes the presidencies of both the European Union and the Group of Eight most industrialized nations on January 1, "the German role on all of these issues will be especially important in 2007," said White House deputy press secretary Scott Stanzel.

The brief visit will also include a dinner at the White House, German government spokesman Thomas Steg said.

Steg said the discussions would focus on the situation in Afghanistan and Iraq, hopes for progress on peace in the Middle East and Iran's disputed nuclear program.

The chancellor herself said in an interview this month that she wanted to use the meeting to press Bush on cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

Better relations

Merkel has worked hard to improve German-US relations since taking office a year ago and has won praise from Bush, who fell out with her predecessor Gerhard Schröder over the Iraq war.

Merkel will also present Germany's plans for its presidencies of the G-8 and the EU.

Stanzel said the two leaders would discuss "promoting stability and reconstruction in Afghanistan, advancing Israeli-Palestinian peace (and) supporting the democratically elected government of Lebanon."

They were also to take up "preventing Iran from developing the capability to make nuclear weapons, ending the violence in Darfur, determining the final status of Kosovo, promoting free trade and further transatlantic economic integration, and advancing energy security," he said in a statement.

DW staff / AFP (jam)