Germany, France sign treaty building on 1963 Elysee accord

By The Associated Press

AACHEN, Germany — German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron are meeting in Aachen to sign a friendship treaty that recalls a historic pact the former enemies agreed in 1963.

The new accord will be signed in the ancient western German city Tuesday, exactly 56 years after the Elysee Treaty that’s considered a key moment in Franco-German relations.

Merkel and Macron want to boost cross-border co-operation along the countries’ 450-kilometre (290-mile) frontier, but also co-ordinate better on tackling international problems such as climate change and terrorism.

Germany and France are often described as the engine of the European Union — to the occasional annoyance of other members, who feel sidelined by the cozy relationship between Paris and Berlin.

The bloc has struggled to respond to a recent resurgence of nationalism.

The Associated Press

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