Deputy Secretary's Meeting with German Bundestag Minority Leader

Deputy Secretary of State Richard L. Armitage met this afternoon with Angela Merkel, Chair of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and minority leader of Germany’s Bundestag. Ms. Merkel emphasized in the meeting the importance of strong U.S.-German relations. They agreed on the need for Iraq to comply fully with all resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. The Deputy Secretary briefed Ms. Merkel on the new draft UN Security Council Resolution proposed by the United Kingdom and co-sponsored Spain and the United States. Deputy Secretary Armitage also pointed to the necessity of maintaining united international pressure on Iraq in the face of its 12-year failure to comply with UN resolutions.