Hollande, Merkel reaffirm unity at the city of Reims

July 9, 2012

Leaders of France and Germany have celebrated half a century of postwar reconciliation. The attempt to stress the unity of the Eurozone’s two biggest economies comes amid the region’s worst-ever debt crisis.Merkel visit  northern French city of Reims, on Sunday, during a day of ceremonies to commemorate the 50th anniversary of renewed Franco-German relations after World War II.
French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel attended a ceremony at a church in Reims, northeastern France.Both leaders event marked the 50th anniversary of a key moment in European history. In 1962, then French President Charles de Gaulle and German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer attended a mass to enshrine ties between the two former World War two enemies.
Leaders of France and Germany joined in a symbolic celebration of unity Sunday, hailing a relationship that has brought peace to Europe for 50 years but must now prove it can survive its most serious crisis to date.
Taking a pause from more than two years of constant crisis management that has strained Franco-German ties, President Francois Hollande welcomed his German counterpart, Chancellor Angela Merkel, to the city of Reims in eastern France.The event replicated an encounter in 1962 between former French president Charles de Gaulle and German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, when the two leaders enshrined Franco-German ties in a city that once bore the brunt of shelling in World War One
After the ceremony, Hollande said the five-decade friendship has been a major influence on Europe.
He said he will work with Germany to set an example for the region.Merkel said she will boost bilateral cooperation to further consolidate Europe.Political observers say the two leaders aimed to dispel concerns over often clashing views on how to tackle Europe’s credit problems.