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German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump put on a display of warmth and friendship during a White House meeting, despite differences over trade and Iran that have sparked tensions between the two allies.
Key points:
- Angela Merkel is the second European leader to meet Donald Trump this week
- Talks focused on Iran, North Korea and trade
- Ms Merkel said she could be open for a US-EU trade agreement
After their last White House meeting drew attention when the two leaders did not shake hands in the Oval Office, Mr Trump made a point of doing just that, twice, while congratulating the German Chancellor on her election win.
"We have a really great relationship, and we actually have had a great relationship right from the beginning, but some people didn't understand that," Mr Trump said.
Ms Merkel acknowledged that it took a while to form a government after heavy election losses to the far right, but she said it was important to her that her first trip out of Europe since establishing her administration was to Washington.
The cautious Ms Merkel has not established a particularly strong personal rapport with the brash Mr Trump, and the mood of her one-day working visit contrasted sharply with the tactile "bromance" between Mr Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Though her visit will be short on pomp, Ms Merkel's message was similar to Mr Macron's — that America and Europe need to bury the hatchet on key issues, from global trade to international security.
Merkel pushes Trump on Iran
Mr Trump is widely expected to withdraw the US from the Iran nuclear accord next month, despite pleas from Mr Macron and Ms Merkel.
Ms Merkel used her meeting with Mr Trump to try to paper over the differences, calling the Obama-era agreement a "first step" toward curtailing and containing Iran's regional ambitions and suggesting openness to a side agreement.
Mr Trump has said he was open to new negotiations with Iran, but has not said whether he would heed European calls for the US to stay in the deal, which aims to restrict Iran's nuclear efforts, while those talks are underway.
His decision is expected by May 12.
Merkel open to US-EU trade deal
On trade, Ms Merkel said there was little progress on seeking permanent exemptions for the European Union from Trump's steel and aluminium tariffs.
"The decision lies with the president," she said during the joint press conference.
But Ms Merkel said a bilateral trade deal between the EU and the US was possible, saying the World Trade Organization (WTO) has been unable to deliver multilateral agreements.
"We want trade that is in line with the multilateral trading system of the WTO, but we also acknowledge that for many, many years the WTO has not been able to bring about international agreements," she said.
"So, I could well envisage such (bilateral) negotiations with the United States."
Reuters/AP
Topics: donald-trump, world-politics, united-states, germany
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