German Chancellor Merkel support President Obama

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle both welcomed the words of US President Barack Obama in his major speech on the Middle East and North Africa.
Speaking of the Middle East peace process, President Obama reiterated the need for a two- state solution. Chancellor Merkel said she emphatically supports President Obama’s call for the negotiations to first concentrate on the topics of borders and security.
“I think the proposal to take the 1967 borders and to consider the exchange of territory would be a good and practicable path,” Chancellor Merkel said on Friday in Berlin.
Neither the building of settlements nor the one-sided recognition of a Palestinian state would move the Middle East peace process forward she said. What is needed instead, Merkel said, are common steps toward reaching a two-state solution.
On President Obama’s remarks about developments in the Arab world, Chancellor Merkel said that Germany and the European G-8 members will also strongly support the democratic pro- cess in these countries. The Middle East peace process and the developments in the Arab world are closely linked, she said.
Foreign Minister Westerwelle issued a statement on Thursday welcoming what President Obama had to say about the upheavals in the Arab world.
“President Obama’s speech sends out a powerful message of support for democratic change in North Africa and the entire Arab world. It gives a welcome boost to all those working for more freedom, democracy and opportunities for personal prosperity in the region.
We share the view of our American friends that the improvements in political and economic participation in the Arab world present us with a historic opportunity, and it is in our own European and American interests to use it. The changes in North Africa and the Arab world give us the chance to start a new chapter in social and economic cooperation.
Germany has offered a Transformation Partnership that is now embedded at EU level. With our practical projects we want to play our part in ensuring that people living there experience the real benefits that democracy brings, for only thus can democratic change succeed.
I also welcome the fact that President Obama has declared his support for a comprehensive and equitable two-state solution in the Middle East in such a strong and com- mitted way. All efforts towards progress in this direction will have our backing.”