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1st LD Writethru: German chancellor calls for cooperative efforts in face of challenges

Xinhua, February 18, 2017 Adjust font size:

German Chancellor Angela Merkel called here on Saturday during her speech at the 53rd Munich Security Conference (MSC) for cooperative efforts to face challenges of a world without fixed order.

"The challenges of the world today can not be mastered by one state alone, it needs cooperative efforts," Merkel said, adding that multilateral institutions like UN, NATO and the EU must be strengthened.

Meanwhile, Merkel said that the international structures of the EU, for example, are not efficient enough. The structures must be made stronger and more resistant to crises.

Merkel also said that the EU can not take up the fight against global terrorism alone, the cooperation with the United States is "very important".

At the same time, Merkel called on Islamic religious authorities to speak "clear words on the demarcation of peaceful Islam and terrorism in the name of Islam."

Mentioning relationship with Russia, Merkel called for a good relationship with Moscow despite different opinions on many issues between the West and Russia. She believed both sides have "exactly the same interests" in the fight against terrorism, for example.

Referring to European defense capacity, Merkel said it must not be seen as an alternative to NATO, but must be integrated into NATO.

Merkel, meanwhile, announced that Germany is committed to the goal of achieving the 2 percent of GDP expenditure on defense within 10 years.

Merkel told the audience that it has already been proven that a global crisis can only be solved multilaterally. However, the problem is that multilateral structures are not consolidated.

"That is why there are tendencies to protectionism and nationalism, which could not be a solution," she said.

Since its first gathering in 1963, the annual MSC, once dubbed a "transatlantic family gathering," has become an independent forum dedicated to promoting peaceful conflict resolution and international cooperation and dialogue.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also delivered a speech late Friday, articulating Chinese solutions to world challenges in front of over 300 participants. Endit