latest developments
German-American Relations 2004
Attorney General Ashcroft meets German Minister of Justice Zypries in Berlin
December 14, 2004
Attorney General John Ashcroft met in Berlin with German Minister of Justice Brigitte Zypries and Minister of the Interior Otto Schily on December 14, 2004. They discussed U.S.-German legal cooperation, particularly in the field of counter-terrorism, where Germany and the United States share common goals of upholding freedom, human dignity and the rule of law. 
Senator Lugar meets with Chancellor Schröder in Berlin
November 23, 2004
Senator Richard Lugar, chairman of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and his delegation met with German officials in Berlin on November 23, 2004. Meetings were held with Chancellor Schröder, Defense Minister Struck, State Secretary Scharioth and CDU party leaders. In a press roundtable Senator Lugar briefed journalists on his trip to the Ukraine as President Bush's representative to the November 21 run-off elections.
Secretary of Treasury John Snow at the Group of 20 Meeting in Berlin
November 21, 2004
U.S. Secretary of the Treasury John Snow was in Berlin to participate in the Group of 20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors' meeting November 19-21, 2004. In addition to the official G-20 meetings, he hosted a series of bi-lateral meetings with other attending finance ministers. On the morning of November 20, Secretary Snow met with his German counterpart Finance Minister Hans Eichel for bilateral talks in Berlin.
Secretary of Homeland Security Ridge in Berlin
September 17, 2004
Secretary of Homeland Security Ridge arrived in Berlin on September 17 to discuss German-American cooperation in the fight against international terrorism with German Minister of the Interior Otto Schily. In a press conference at the Federal Ministry of the Interior, they commended the cooperation between both countries. Further improvements in information sharing between the security offices of both countries are planned.
In the evening, Secretary Ridge presented Minister Schily with the Award for Transatlantic Partnership on behalf of the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany.
President Bush Welcomes Chancellor Schroeder of Germany to G8
Remarks by President Bush and Chancellor Schroeder of Germany in Photo Opportunity
June 8, 2004
President Bush and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder "are clearly on a rapidly converging path with respect to Iraq," and they discussed "what Germany and the United States can do together, moving forward," a senior administration official told reporters after the two leaders met during the G8 summit June 8. "We and the Germans have now come back together and are working together on a common agenda," the official said, adding that the Bush administration is "looking to build on that developing community of views, not looking to re-fight the battles of last year" when the two countries disagreed over the war to oust Saddam Hussein. Full text
Powell, German Minister Discuss Iraq Prison Abuse, U.N. Resolution
Justice will be done concerning prison situation, Powell says
May 11, 2004
Secretary of State Colin Powell and German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer exchanged views on the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal during their meeting at the State Department. "We exchanged views with one another about how deplorable a situation this is for all of us, how painful it is for the United States to see that our soldiers were involved in such behavior," Powell said afterwards, adding that he had assured Fischer that "all Americans were shocked by these images as were people throughout the world."As can be seen through congressional hearings, through investigations launched by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and through the actions of President Bush, he said, "we are going to get to the bottom of this and make sure that justice is done." Full text
Remarks by Secretary of State Colin L. Powell with Students at Max Planck School
Berlin, Germany
April 1, 2004
AMBASSADOR COATS: Mr. Secretary, this is part of our school outreach program. We have put Americans into hundreds of classrooms throughout East Germany where there hasn’t been nearly the association and exchange between Americans and Germans that there has been in the former West Germany. We selected this school because it has an outstanding reputation, and we want to thank you for taking your time to spend time with these students. It is a great pleasure for me to introduce to all of you a distinguished American who has had a distinguished career in public service. He is here in Berlin on very important business, and yesterday I kept having to tell people, “the Secretary doesn’t have time to meet with you.” He wanted to come here and spend time and meet with you. So we are really pleased to have him. Mr. Secretary. Full text
New U.N. Iraq Resolution Likely by July 1, Powell tells German TV
Potential NATO role in Iraq to be discussed at April 2 meeting in Brussels
April 1, 2004
In an April 1 interview with ZDF German Television focused largely on Iraq and Afghanistan, Secretary of State Colin Powell said he thinks the United Nations will pass a new resolution on Iraq "as we move closer to the first of July." Powell also said that what role NATO might play in Iraq will be discussed at the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting April 2 in Brussels, Belgium. He strongly defended the coalition's invasion of Iraq and dismissed the suggestion that U.S. deaths in Iraq will force a withdrawal of U.S. forces: "We are not going to withdraw. We are not going to be run out. I think your viewers should know that America has the ability to stay and fight an enemy and defeat an enemy. We will not run away." Full text
Powell Calls U.S.-German Partnership "Flexible and Unbreakable"
Op-ed column by U.S. Secretary of State in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
March 31, 2004
Flexible and Unbreakable. By Secretary Colin L. Powell. "The U.S.-German partnership, like the Transatlantic partnership of which it is a key component, has remained strong over the years because we have proved capable of adjusting to change. The history of my own travels to Germany illustrates the point." Full text in English | German Version on the FAZ website
Secretary Powell to Attend International Conference on Afghanistan in Berlin
March 3, 2004
Secretary of State Colin Powell will travel to Berlin and Brussels March 30-April 2. In Berlin he will attend the International Conference on Afghanistan, and in Brussels he will participate in an April 2 event marking the formal accession of the seven newest NATO allies, as well as a meeting of NATO foreign ministers to discuss the June summit in Istanbul. Full text | Afghanistan Conference page
Bush, Schroeder Reaffirm German-American Alliance for 21st Century
President Bush, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder joint statement
February 27, 2004
President Bush and Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder issued a joint statement on the German-American Alliance for the 21 Century after their meeting at the White House February 27. The joint statement commits the two countries to strengthening transatlantic relations, reaffirms shared values, calls for a "genuine partnership connecting Europe and America with the wider Middle East," reaffirms commitment to the "Roadmap" as the best means of bringing peace to Israelis and Palestinians, and pledges help for Afghanistan and unity in support of a free Iraq. It also calls for strengthening economic relations and promoting trade liberalization and economic development for all countries "through the Doha Development Agenda negotiations." Full text | The German-American Alliance for the 21st Century | In German
Bush, Schroeder Commit Themselves to Work Together
Speaking with reporters following Oval Office meeting
February 27, 2004
President Bush told reporters February 27 following talks in the Oval Office with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder that the two have agreed to put aside their past differences over war in Iraq, and to commit themselves to working together now and in the future for the good of their nations and the world. "We've just had a really constructive dialogue about our mutual interests, our mutual desires to work together," Bush said, adding that when Germany and the United States work together, the world is a better place. "We're both committed to freedom; we're both committed to peace; we're both committed to the prosperity of our respective people," he said. "We have (had) differences in the past. But there's nothing wrong with friends having differences. And we have both committed to put the differences behind us and move forward," Bush said. Full text
Bush to Host Germany's Schroeder at White House Feb. 27
Meeting, working lunch to discuss "important bilateral and global issues"
January 29, 2004
President Bush will hold a meeting and working lunch with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder at the White House February 27 and "looks forward to extensive discussions ... on important bilateral and global issues."The White House says Germany is "a key partner in forging closer U.S.-European political and economic relations." Full text
