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Roundup: Germany celebrates 25 years of reunification amid refugee influx

Xinhua, October 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

The integration of refugees will pose a bigger challenge to Germany than German unity, said German President Joachim Gauck in Frankfurt am Main on Saturday.

"Unlike then, now it is time to coalesce what did not belong together," said Gauck in Frankfurt at the central ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of German reunification.

It would have overcome much greater distances than between East and West Germans who had had one language and a common culture and history, he said.

Therefore Gauck called for patience and stressed that only the values shared in Germany could be a basis for integration.

"It takes time until the old and new citizens take responsibility in a state that all regard as their state," he said.

"It's wonderful that we can celebrate the 25th anniversary of German reunification today," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on the sidelines of the celebration of the Day of German Unity in Frankfurt am Main.

She said Germany was able to commit to the German unity at that time in good relations with former allies and neighbor countries 25 years ago.

After 25 years, Germany is facing major challenges, Merkel said, adding that "the issue of the refugees currently concerns us most."

The chancellor said Germany could not solve this situation alone, "but only together through a fair share of responsibilities in Europe and all over the world, because there have never been so many refugees before as it is today."

At the same time, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere emphasized that it must be possible to speed up the procedures for asylum seekers.

It should be clear that tough decisions must be also taken and those who have no prospects of permanent residence in Germany need to go, he added.

The central ceremony on Day of German Unity is traditionally organized by the federal state.

Tens of thousands of visitors had celebrated in Frankfurt on Friday to kick off the three-day town festival on the German day of Unification under the theme "Crossing Borders".

During the festival, 300 events as well as a total of one million visitors are expected, according to German local media. Enditem