Merkel Urges New Dialogue and Closer Atlantic Partnership
German Chancellor Angela Merkel Wednesday at the Word Economic Forum i Davos, Switzerland, announced efforts for “new forms of dialogue” between G8 leading industrial nations and the emerging economies such as Brazil, India and China – along with a closer Atlantic partnership between Europe and the United States.
She set these goals for Germany’s Presidency of the G8 this year in the opening address to the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. She told global political, business and academic leaders in Davos that the G8 summit in Heiligendamm next June would seek to launch this new dialogue, which would then be continued in other international institutions. Among the partners, she specifically named Mexico and South Africa as well as BIC.
Calling for a resumption of the Doha Development Agenda of trade liberalization talks, suspended some six months ago, Chancellor Merkel said that agriculture could not be the only focus of concentrated effort. Progress is essential on industrial goods and services – including equal treatment of domestic and foreign investment – fundamental concerns of the industrialized states. And only a united front by the G8 could contribute to having the dynamic emerging economies participate in global responsibility.
Among the targets she set for Germany’s G8 presidency were reducing global imbalances in exchange rates and oil supplies; minimizing systemic risks on international capital markets, particularly with regard to hedge funds; achieving significant improvements in protection of intellectual property rights; and giving new impulse to efforts at climate protection.
She warned, however, that the international community has only a limited window of opportunity for action. The Chancellor said that intensification of Europe’s relationship with the United States should not be considered as in opposition to this new dialogue. Non-tariff barriers to transatlantic trade, for example, technical standards, financial market rules, energy and environmental regulations, and intellectual property all offered chances for improvements. This would be the topic of the EU-US Summit taking place in Washington on 30 April, she announced.
Germany would also strive to find ways this year to integrate Africa more fully into world trade. AIDS remains a major challenge of our time, particularly for Africa, and a conference in Germany next September will review progress so far and consider new initiatives.
Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum, introduced the theme of the 37th Annual Meeting, “The Shifting Power Equation” and called on the 2,400 participants to work together to tackle the complex challenges ahead. He urged them to help shape a global agenda that addresses a world that is rapidly changing and where power is shifting geopolitically, both in business terms and in the virtual world. “We are living in an increasingly schizophrenic world, where economies are booming and global signs are promising, but underneath are economic, political and social risks, as well as imbalances and inconsistencies,” said Schwab.
Micheline Calmy-Rey, President of the Swiss Confederation and Federal Councillor of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland, called on all stakeholders to work together in partnership to increase human security, which includes addressing new threats such as the destruction of the environment. “We as representatives of states cannot solve everything alone and cannot solve anything at all unless we rapidly improve our partnerships with business, academia and society as a whole,” she said. “We have made progress in defining and setting standards for globalization and in overcoming its negative consequences. It remains for us to focus on action that makes a real difference.”
Everything about the Annual Meeting 2007 can be found here: www.weforum.org/annualmeeting
