默克尔出访首站选择巴黎 象征外交政策延续

　　新华网消息德国新任总理默克尔将在23日开始上任以来的首次出访，与她的前任一样她首先访问法国。此前，默克尔曾表示，在外交政策上，德国将优先考虑与美国的关系。路透社报道认为，选择巴黎作为出访首站，象征着默克尔将坚持德国外交政策，尤其是德法关系的延续性。

　　施罗德与科尔就任后都首先选择访问巴黎，宣布将继续推动战后法德轴心关系的进一

步发展。路透社报道说，默克尔在正式就职后的第一天对巴黎进行了短暂的访问，这次访问象征着默克尔将延续对法一贯的外交政策。

　　11月22日，新任外长施泰因迈尔 对德国一家电视台表示：“默克尔对法国的访问是德法两国亲密伙伴关系的象征。”

　　人们虽然关注默克尔要推进德美在伊拉克战争之后关系的许诺，但是对于像下一个欧洲预算之类的迫切问题来说，德国与法国的日常关系却至关重要。

　　在法国否决了欧洲宪法后，欧洲所面临的挑战将检验推动欧盟前进的伙伴关系。

　　“有很多问题急需解决，例如欧洲预算或世贸的农业谈判，”法国塞吉-蓬图瓦兹大学的法德关系专家布尔茹瓦说道，“但是法德轴心关系的关键是建设欧洲。如果欧洲不知道如何应对全球化，不改革福利制度和不实施机构改革，只说豪言壮语则不解决问题。”

　　默克尔曾明确表示，战后西方国家建立的高福利制度的诸多理由应该摈弃。而法国总统希拉克则激烈地抨击“新自由派”倡导的市场化社会福利政策。她的这种观点同法国领导人的观点相悖。个人气质的特点也将对领导人之间的关系起到一定的作用，默克尔作风冷静平实，与之形成鲜明对比的是，她的前任施罗德极富媒体亲和力，并同希拉克关系亲密。

　　“我相信，她想（同法国）形成亲密的互信关系，”基民盟议员、法德议会协会负责人朔肯霍夫说，“默克尔与希拉克多次会晤，她与法国内政部长萨尔科奇有着良好的个人关系。她认识很多法国政要，巴黎对她并不陌生。”（完-->

　　外电：默克尔发誓要重振德经济 调整与欧美关系

　　默克尔上任1天 调与欧美关系 对华政策不变

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　　Germanys Merkel signals continuity with Paris tripByJamesMackenzie

　　BERLIN, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Germanys new ChancellorAngelaMerkelmay have made bolstering relations with the UnitedStatesa foreignpolicy priority, but she is followinglongstandingprecedent bytravelling to Paris on her first foreignvisit.Both herpredecessors Gerhard Schroeder and Helmut Kohlbeganwith visits toParis, pledging to uphold the Franco-Germanaxis thathasunderpinned postwar German foreign policy.Merkels brief visitonWednesday, the day after her formalappointment as Chancellor,isintended as a clear sign that thetradition remains in place.

　　She will see French President Jacques Chirac for lunchattheElysee Palace but with less than two hours scheduled forthemeetingbefore she flies on to Brussels, the trip appears tobemore aboutsymbolism than serious discussion.

　　The visit to France is an avowal of the closenessoftheGerman-French partnership, new ForeignMinisterFrank-WalterSteinmeier told German television onTuesday.

　　In Brussels, Merkel will meet NATO secretary general JaapdeHoopScheffer, in a move her advisers say is intended tounderlinetheimportance of Germanys transatlantic partnershipwith theUnitedStates.

　　She will also meet European Commission presidentJoseManuelBarroso and the head of the European parliament,JosepBorrell.Steinmeier, one of Schroeders closest aides, hassaidthatGerman foreign policy will not undergo any radicalshiftunderMerkels new government of conservatives andSocialDemocrats.While much attention has focused on her pledge toboosttieswith Washington after the turmoil of the Iraqwar,pressingproblems, like the need for a quick deal on the nextEUbudgetmean the day-to-day partnership with France is as vitalasever.

　　URGENT ISSUES

　　However, the challenges facing Europe, afterthefailedconstitutional referendums earlier this year centertheEuropeanUnion without a clear roadmap, will test thepartnershipthathas driven the EU from its inception.

　　There are urgent issues, such as the Europeanbudgetornegotiations around the World Trade Organisationandagriculturepolicy, said Isabelle Bourgeois, a specialistinFranco-Germanrelations at the University of Cergy-PontoisenearParis.But the real issue and the real justificationfortheFranco-German axis is the construction of Europe,shesaid.Without a vision of how Europe can respondtoglobalisation,overhaul its welfare system to cope with anageingpopulationand reshape its institutions now that it is a25-strongbloc,high flown rhetoric will sound increasinglythin.Significantprogress in these areas is likely to bedisrupted bythe Frenchpresidential election in 2007, whenGermany holds therotating EUpresidency as well as by realdifferences between mrstatesincluding France and Germany.Merkel, Germanys firstchancellorfrom the former communisteast, has already made clearthat shebelieves many of the assumptions over the need for a strongwelfarestate that underpinned postwar policy in the west mustbeabandoned.That on its own may set her apart from Frenchleaders,who have vociferously condemned neo-liberalpro-marketpolicies.Much will still depend on the personal tonestruck by thenew Chancellor, whose sober, prosaic style contrastssharply withher media-friendly predecessor Schroeder, who madegreat display ofhis close relationship with Chirac.

　　Im sure shell want a very close and trustingrelationship,said Andreas Schockenhoff, a conservative mrofparliament and headof the German-French parliamentary group.MrsMerkel has met Chiracmany times, she has a goodpersonalrelationship with (InteriorMinister) Nicolas Sarkozy.She knows theleading figures, shes beento Paris regularly.Its not unknownterritory for her, hesaid.（专稿）