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Franco-german meeting statement by M. Nicolas SARKOZY, President of the Republic

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Berlin, Wednesday, May 16th 2007

Madam Chancellor, ladies and gentlemen,

On the day I officially take office as President of the French Republic, I wanted to come and extend greetings to the German government and people, on behalf of the French people. This gesture is firstly a gesture of friendship.

I want to tell the German government and people that for France, Franco-German friendship is sacrosanct and that nothing can possibly undermine it.

But my presence today in Berlin has, quite obviously, political significance too. By coming to Berlin as soon as I took office, I didn't want only to make a symbolic gesture, I wanted to express my wish for us to get immediately down to work, since it is urgent to act.

The first urgent task is to put an end to the European Union's current paralysis. For this, Germany, who today holds the European Presidency, and France, who has always been her key partner in Europe, need to see eye to eye. Supporting one another, Germany and France naturally have greater influence on European and world affairs than when they act separately.

The second urgent task concerns the industrial cooperation between our two countries and, of course, first, EADS. So I thought we oughtn't to waste a minute. This is what I have come to do, already today, with Angela Merkel.

As you will have understood, France's policy, as I see it, won't be characterized by a wait-and-see approach in domestic policy, European policy or foreign policy.

I don't believe that better solutions are found for problems when you wait longer before dealing with them. To those who tell me, whenever a complicated question arises, that you have to wait before trying to find an answer to it, I want to tell them "wait, but wait for what? For things to get even worse, for it to be even more difficult, for our compatriots to suffer a bit more?" By waiting too long, you risk things becoming far more complicated. By waiting too long, you risk it ending up being too late.

Franco-German relations and the matters on which we, Germans and French, have to work together are so important that a wait-and-see policy, inertia, conservatism can't provide solutions, and after this first review of the issues, I'm sure that by getting down to work, we, Angela Merkel and I, will achieve results. In any case, this is my greatest wish. I'm convinced that the German government wants this too. The period of uncertainty inherent in any electoral campaign has increased the delay we have incurred.

Chère Angela, I have great confidence in you, I have great friendship for you and I am perfectly aware of the responsibilities which are ours, if we are to measure up to all those who in the past have built the friendship between Germany and France.

Europe is waiting for us to take initiatives. I have come as a European, as a friend, keenly aware of the need for results and the fact that time is no longer on our side.

Thank you(1) for inviting me.

(1) President Sarkozy uses the "tu" form for "you", denoting close friendship

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