Mexico City: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday that putting up walls will not solve problems caused by immigration, challenging one of US President Donald Trump's core principles, during her visit to Mexico.
Trump's election pledge to build a massive wall on the US border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants and drug traffickers has sparked anger throughout Mexico, plunging US-Mexican relations to their lowest point in years.
Speaking in Mexico City, Merkel, who grew up in Communist East Germany behind the Iron Curtain, said that history showed that only when empires have got on well with their neighbors have migration pressures been resolved successfully.
"It's an issue you can study well in the history of China with the (Great) Wall of China, you can study it in the history of the Roman Empire. Essentially, only when great empires have managed to forge sensible relationships with their neighbors and to manage migration has it been a success," she added.
The key was to improve living standards and opportunities in afflicted areas, said Merkel, who did not mention Trump.
In another counterpoint to Trump, Merkel and Pena Nieto together affirmed their commitment to free trade during the German leader's visit to Latin America's No. 2 economy.
Trump has attacked Germany and Mexico for their trade surpluses with the United States and has vowed to withdraw from NAFTA if he cannot renegotiate it in favor of the United States.
"Through (international supply chains), wealth for a lot more people has been generated, and these value chains should not be destroyed again unnecessarily," Merkel said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Trump's election pledge to build a massive wall on the US border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants and drug traffickers has sparked anger throughout Mexico, plunging US-Mexican relations to their lowest point in years.
Speaking in Mexico City, Merkel, who grew up in Communist East Germany behind the Iron Curtain, said that history showed that only when empires have got on well with their neighbors have migration pressures been resolved successfully.
"It's an issue you can study well in the history of China with the (Great) Wall of China, you can study it in the history of the Roman Empire. Essentially, only when great empires have managed to forge sensible relationships with their neighbors and to manage migration has it been a success," she added.
Advertisement
The key was to improve living standards and opportunities in afflicted areas, said Merkel, who did not mention Trump.
Advertisement
In another counterpoint to Trump, Merkel and Pena Nieto together affirmed their commitment to free trade during the German leader's visit to Latin America's No. 2 economy.
Advertisement
Trump has attacked Germany and Mexico for their trade surpluses with the United States and has vowed to withdraw from NAFTA if he cannot renegotiate it in favor of the United States.
Advertisement
"Through (international supply chains), wealth for a lot more people has been generated, and these value chains should not be destroyed again unnecessarily," Merkel said.
Advertisement
© Thomson Reuters 2017
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Biden To Build More Mexico Wall, Says Hands Were Tied Biden Administration Announces Plan To Build More Mexico Border Wall Trump's "Rolls Royce of Barriers" Breached Thousands Of Times: Report Parents Gave Names Of Interns, Doctors To CBI In Kolkata Horror: Sources Who Is Jasveen Sangha, "Ketamine Queen" Charged With Matthew Perry's Death How Extreme Weather Is Leading To Rise In Child Marriages In Pakistan Police Arrest Suspect In Bihar Dalit Girl Kidnapping, Murder Case 80 Killed In Paramilitary Attack In Sudan OpenAI Blocks Iranian Group's ChatGPT Accounts For Targeting US Election Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.