Obama defends trade deals as thousands protest in Germany
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US President Barack Obama yesterday delivered a strong defense of international trade deals in the face of domestic and foreign opposition, saying it is “indisputable” that such agreements strengthen economies and make US businesses more competitive worldwide.
Obama, on a farewell visit to Germany as president, is trying to counter public skepticism about a trans-Atlantic trade deal with Europe, while facing down criticism from the 2016 presidential candidates of a pending Asia-Pacific trade pact.
Despite all that, Obama said, “the majority of people still favor trade. They still recognize, on balance, that it’s a good idea.”
“It is indisputable that it has made our economy stronger,” Obama said about international trade. He was confident the trans-Atlantic trade deal could be completed by the end of year, to be presented for ratification. Obama said once the US presidential election is over, the trans-Pacific pact can “start moving forward.”
Obama, at a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the leaders had discussed economic and security issues facing Europe. He credited Germany for being a strong partner on efforts to counter the Islamic State group and to provide humanitarian relief to refugees fleeing the fighting in Syria.
But he reiterated US opposition to the idea of establishing a “safe zone” in Syrian territory because it would be impractical.
“As a practical matter, sadly, it is very difficult to see how it would operate short of us essentially being willing to militarily take over a chunk of that country,” he said.
Obama spoke after Merkel rolled out the red carpet for him at Hannover’s Herrenhausen Palace, a rebuilt version of the former summer royal residence destroyed in World War II. After reviewing German troops in a palace garden, they climbed a spiral staircase and stepped inside for private talks.
Obama made a point to give a public show of support for Merkel’s “courageous” handling of the migrant issue.
Merkel, he said, “is on the right side of history on this.”
Her decision to allow the resettlement in her country of thousands fleeing violence in Syria and other Mideast conflict zones created an angry domestic backlash.
Merkel recently helped European countries reach a deal with Turkey to ease the flow, but she and the other leaders are now under pressure to revisit it.
Obama has a tough sell to make for the trade deal known as TTIP, particularly in Germany.
He was joining Merkel later in the day to open the Hannover Messe, the world’s largest industrial technology trade fair, and promote the agreement.
Thousands of people took to the streets in protest in Hannover on Saturday, before Obama arrived. Some carried placards that said “Yes We Can — Stop TTIP!”
It was a riff on Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign slogan.
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