Video: Hillary Clinton with Angela Merkel

Remarks With German Chancellor Angela Merkel Before Their Meeting

Remarks

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Federal Chancellery

Berlin, Germany

April 14, 2011

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SECRETARY CLINTON: It is wonderful to be back in Berlin and to have this opportunity to meet with the Chancellor to discuss a number of issues that are of great importance to both of us.

I appreciate that NATO is meeting here in Berlin because Germany is such an essential partner in NATO and the work that was done at the Lisbon Summit to chart the way forward for NATO is going to provide the strategic direction that we are seeking to implement.

We work together in Afghanistan. We are committed to following through to achieve the mutual objective of working toward a world without nuclear weapons. We are also sharing the same goal which is to see the end of the Qadhafi regime in Libya. And we are contributing in many ways in order to see that goal realized. We are very much looking forward to the Chancellor's visit at President Obama's invitation to Washington in early June. And she will be receiving our highest civilian honor at that time, the Medal of Freedom.

Chancellor, thank you again for welcoming me back to Berlin. I look forward to welcoming you to Washington. And for all those inquiring minds - the Chancellor and I did not consult on the color of our jackets today, but great minds think alike.