Berlin denies reports of Merkel-Macron clash over NATO

Berlin on Monday denied reports that German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron clashed over dinner after the French leader described the NATO defence alliance as suffering from "brain death".

The two European leaders met on November 10, a day after Germany marked the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall.

Their dinner came just days after Macron stunned NATO with his remarks, and prompting Merkel to slap down what she called "sweeping judgements" that were unnecessary.

The New York Times reported on Sunday that the pair clashed over dinner, with Merkel telling Macron she understood his "desire for disruptive politics but that she was "tired of picking up the pieces" after him.

Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert would not confirm the exchange, saying it was "confidential".

But he added that "in what the chancellor recalls of this evening, there were neither complaints nor anger nor dispute".

Besides discussions about the end of the Cold War 30 years ago, talks were "about the often different political approaches of Germany and France in dealing with problems or challenges, and about the fact that we are always seeking and finding solutions".

In his interview with the Economist, Macron had decried a lack of coordination between Europe and the US and lamented recent unilateral action in Syria by Turkey, a key member of the 70-year-old military alliance.

"You have no coordination whatsoever of strategic decision-making between the United States and its NATO allies. None," he said.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has spoken out against Macron's view of the bloc.

dac-hmn/nla

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

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