New Chancellor Says Germany Will not be 'Blackmailed' by Iraq Kidnapers
30 November 2005
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has vowed that her government will not be "blackmailed" by insurgents who have kidnapped a German archaeologist in Iraq.
In her first major speech to parliament, Ms. Merkel said Germany is doing everything in its power to return the archeologist, Susanne Osthoff and her driver to safety.
On the domestic front, Ms. Merkel vowed to re-energize Germany's sluggish economy. She said that her coalition wants to create the conditions that will make Germany again one of the three fastest growing economies in Europe in 10 years' time.
Ms. Merkel was sworn in as Germany's first ever woman Chancellor on November 22.
She heads a government made up of her conservative Christian Democratic Union party and her predecessor Gerhard Schroeder's more liberal Social Democrats.
Some information for this report provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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