German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) President Donald Trump for his decision, the approval of the final declaration of the G7 summit withdraw criticized: “The withdrawal by Tweet is of course disappointing and a bit depressing,” Merkel said in the ARD program Anne Will . However, the Federal Government stick to the paper, it was decided and legally valid.

The chancellor was already back in the plane to Berlin when Trump withdrew his support on Saturday over the previously laboriously negotiated final declaration on the summit meeting. The step of the US president does not make things easier, said the Chancellor. Nevertheless, she will continue talks with him, for example in July at the NATO summit in Brussels. Trump’s decision has encouraged them to do more to promote a single, strong European Union, Merkel said.

Europe had to take its fate more into its own hands and defend its values, possibly with Japan. Germany and Europe should no longer rely on the USA “lightly”. An end to the partnership with the United States Merkel did not see despite the policies of Trump. There are good reasons to continue fighting for the transatlantic partnership.

Like Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Merkel again announced EU countermeasures on US import tariffs on steel and aluminum: “We will not let ourselves be ripped off over and over,” she said. This also applies if Trump makes his threat true impose tariffs on the import of, particularly German cars. “Then we have to think again about what we do.”

Merkel clearly distanced herself from Trump’s style of “America first”, regardless of international alliances and treaties. She believes in “win-win situations” through cooperation, emphasized the Chancellor. “Sometimes I get the impression that the American president believes that only one wins and the other loses.” She emphasized, however, that despite the behavior of Trump, she sees no end to the G7 summit.

Chancellor takes responsibility in the Bamf scandal on itself

The Chancellor also said that she assumed political responsibility for the currently discussed abuses at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf) . “I’m not making it easy for me, I’m politically responsible for the things,” Merkel said. In the exceptional situation of 2015, even a ministry like the Interior Department could not be left alone with such a task. That’s why she then concentrated competencies in the Chancellery. But earlier on the Bamf had to be prepared for the large number of cases to be dealt with.

However, Merkel rejected the accusation that at that time there was the goal “speed before thoroughness”. In a large number of rounds with the prime ministers, there had been a desire to process applications faster. The interior ministers of the interior had also temporarily agreed that, for example, Syrian applicants no longer had to undergo oral examinations. Nevertheless, Merkel repeatedly pointed out that she did not want to postpone responsibility. She stands to the decision, in 2015 in a humanitarian emergency situation, not to have closed the borders.

As a consequence of the murder of Susanna F. Merkel demanded to deport rejected asylum seekers faster. The case shows how important it is that people without a residence status can quickly get a procedure and “then quickly be sent home,” Merkel said. For them, moreover, the doctrine of this “abominable murder” to quickly set up the agreed by the grand coalition anchor centers nationwide, added Merkel. In these centers, asylum seekers should remain for the entire duration of their proceedings and, in case of rejection, should be deported directly from there.

Merkel expects Italy to approve the extension of sanctions against Russia

Merkel said she expects the new Italian government to agree to the extension of EU sanctions against Russia. At the G7 summit she also met with the new Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. She thinks that Italy wants to act “in agreement with what it has said in Canada,” Merkel said. In the G7 statement, everyone was very clear in favor of continuing the sanctions.

“I can imagine that Russia will join again,” Merkel said on Conte and Trump’s proposal to re-enter Russia in the G7. However, this requires progress in the implementation of the Minsk Agreement for the settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Asked whether, despite her criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin, she will travel to the German team’s games at the World Cup in Russia, Merkel said that this could be good. Such trips did not violate their principles. If she were going to Russia, she might even be able to use this for political talks – without them one would find no solution in conflicts at all.

Merkel also defended the because of their photos with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized football international Mesut Özil and Ilkay Gündogan. “I think the two players have not considered what the photo triggers,” Merkel said. She felt very touching, but Gündogan said that he likes to play for Germany and likes being a member of the national team. Gundogan and Özil were part of the national team, “and so I would be happy if some fans could clap.”

Source: https://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2018-06/angela-merkel-anne-will-donald-trump-g7-gipfel-bamf-verantwortung