GERMANY: German chancellor Angela Merkel worked hard yesterday to counter speculation that the Franco-German motor is stalling, calling for a "Europe of projects" to revive the EU and defending President Chirac's vow to launch nuclear strikes on states that back terrorist attacks.
The two leaders met for informal talks in the former royal palace at Versailles outside Paris yesterday afternoon, their third meeting since Chancellor Merkel took office in November, followed by a dinner where they discussed the nuclear standoff with Iran.
As western leaders continue to search for ways to prevent Iran developing nuclear weapons, President Chirac defended his nuclear strike remarks. Chancellor Merkel ignored opposition calls from Berlin to distance herself from what many Germans saw as a provocative position. "I just reminded, as a result of the developments in the world at the moment, that the principles of French deterrence had not changed in any way and made clear that they would be followed," said Mr Chirac.
"Deterrence is life insurance for our interests in France and in Europe," he added.
Dr Merkel said the talks had shown that there is a high level of concurring ideas between Berlin and Paris, and said she was surprised by the German coverage of Mr Chirac's remarks, which she called a question of deterrence.
"There is nothing to criticise that, in the changing face of different threats, that doctrine has to be adjusted," she said.
Earlier in Berlin, parliamentary co-leader of the Green Party, Fritz Kuhn, called on Dr Merkel to make clear that "Germany does not approve of the French atomic threat".
Dr Merkel called on French and German ministers to develop new cross-border projects ahead of a joint cabinet meeting in March to help drive on a Europe of projects to keep the EU relevant in its citizens' lives.
"If France and German is not the motor of this Europe, then it will stagnate," she said.
Her remarks picked up on a speech by French prime minister Dominique de Villepin in Berlin last week.
He called for unspectacular but tangible steps like joint border police, more EU scholarships or closer co-ordination on bird flu to "show citizens what Europe is good for".