Merkel favours closer ties with Washington

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday that Germany and the United States would benefit from having a closer relationship -- if they can first manage to overcome their differences.

"We could better develop our economies, stimulate growth, more jobs, if we didn't have so many obstacles in our talks," Merkel said in her weekly video podcast. The chancellor was speaking on the 60th anniversary of Germany's Atlantic Bridge association, which aims to promote trade, military and educational relations between Washington and Berlin. (AFP)