BERLIN, Jan 11 (Reuters) – German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul emphasised the importance of transatlantic relations on Sunday as he left for a trip to Washington that takes place at a delicate time due to tensions over U.S. interests in Greenland and Venezuela.
“Never before has it been so crucial to invest in the transatlantic partnership in order to remain capable of shaping the world order,” Wadephul said in Berlin before his departure.
He said he would address what he called “differences of opinions” between Germany and the United States during a meeting on Monday with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“Where there are differences of opinion, we want to address these differences through dialogue in order to fulfil our shared responsibility for peace and security,” Wadephul said.
On his way to Washington, Wadephul plans to stop over in Iceland on Sunday, where a meeting on Arctic security is scheduled with his Icelandic counterpart in Reykjavik.
Later on Monday, he also plans to meet U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
“For Germany, reliability as an international partner clearly includes a commitment to international law and international cooperation,” he said, referring to the United Nations.
(Reporting by Alexander Ratz;Editing by Miranda Murray and Helen Popper)
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