Chancellor Angela Merkel said 19 of 20 g20 members reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris Climate Accord as irreversible leaving the United States as the only member left out. In her speech, she called the decision regrettable. Gentlemen, a very warm welcome to all of you. Would like to give you an overview of the results of the summit. I told you before this summit that the conditions for the success of such a meeting are a little bit complicated. As chancellor and hostess of this summit are to show german interests and european interests. Obviously, let me also make it clear that were ever there are differences and opinions, we should not gloss over those differences. Difference is the spirit in. Hich we will guide our work yesterday, we issued an action plan, statement on terrorism, and the meetings we had yesterday were dealing with the agenda of issues. We adopted something here today which in many ways is the basis for what we have been doing. We in germany adopted the motto shaping an interconnected world. In the communique, we point out revealedthat the g20 its specs at the beginning, and we were able to stabilize the we also say what was true then continues to hold, but we can achieve more together than by acting alone, and this, indeed, was the spirit which guided us. We were able to achieve results. Of issues we set worked on was trying to assure each and every one participates thend and if its from opportunities of globalization, the Global Economy and growth, trade and investment, sustainable global value chains, tapping the potential of the organization and also boosting employment. It was clear there would be discussions on trade, and i am we were able to say markets need to be kept open. This was all about fighting protectionism and also unfair trade practices. We said we are ready to all of the Member States are ready to put the oecd, the world trade forward and to allow them to supervise what we are doing and we also see that the benefits of International Trade, of global trade, have not reached each and every one. What we call in clouseau growth needs to also trickle down to what is happening in Member States. The chances that plays a crucial role in making this possible, and complement tree to that, bilateral trade agreements can be subdued but have to be in line with wto rules, and we. Herefore wish every success agreed on setting up a global. Irm it works rather slowly, so it was very important that during to haveting, we need the necessary information on the table so that in november, a substantial report can be tabled, which will also than offer Effective Solutions to this issue of excess capacity, and i hope this format will be used in order to address those contentious issues on the table. In a second session, we addressed the issue of security civilians, which means we need a resilient financial system. Finance ministers did exemplary work preparing this. Sometimes, the hamburg action plan reflects that. Work important that we systematically in bringing this forward. It was pointed out that we absolutely need to be vigilant establishing a level Playing Field for the International Financial market structure. Also mentioned the erosion in Profit Shifting issues. Too, is of central importance for establishing fairness in taxation. We also pointed out how for those whoas may well cast and paul over the stability of the Global Economy. We talked in a special session together with the head of the who. We had for the first time leading up to the summit a meeting of health ministers. We think we are better equipped to show a common and determined front. Another very important area and health is fighting Antimicrobial Resistance is. Withirst session deals sustaining livelihoods, improving sustainable livelihoods. We talked about participation and empowerment of women. That is something where we build on the meeting in brisbane where we said we wanted to close the employment gap and participation gap. Two further initiatives were added to that. On the one hand, these skills initiatives we consider to be of primary importance because this really is a central factor of education and skills and with regard to digitalization, our african colleagues highlighted ce of education is key to promoting Sustainable Growth in africa. We also at some length discussed the German Initiative that was supported by colleagues in africa of the g20 shouldering. Esponsibility a central element of that is our compact with africa and with individual african countries. Adopted a, we have trade agreement. This is a very Important Initiative because the african that was represented, with its agenda outlined for the first time what they envisaged for the future of africa. We then also looks at migration and discussed this at some length and particularly on corruption, a number of very important things. One crucial thing was climate energy, and what came out of the meeting was what i had already set at the beginning of this meeting. Wherever there is a consensus that can be achieved and agreement has to be made clear, you know that, unfortunately and i deplore this, but the United States of america left the climate agreement or, rather, announced their intention of doing this. But i am very gratified to note Member States 19 noted that the Paris Agreement is irreversible and we feel committed to what we agreed on, and that it is to be limited as quickly as possible and we also. Greed on a hamburg action plan ladies and gentlemen, this brings me to the point that this butaration is one document, what we have also adopted that i pointed out to you already, we have committed ourselves to a number of obligations. Japan will take over the presidency and in 2020, saudi arabia. The margins of such a summit meeting, there will be always opportunities for meeting leaders and bilateral meetings. I think this is a very useful tool, not only for discussions between the american and russian president , but the french president and i were able to talk about the future of the normandy format. Also were able to work on a number of other issues and achieve goals. The results that i outlined to you and all of the success we achieved throughout these two days was only possible because policemen and women, security forces, insured our safety during this summit. They had a very difficult task. They also saw to it it was their mission that those who wanted to peacefully demonstrate could do so. They have tried their utmost to do that. On behalf of all the members of the g20, i would like to thank them. I conclude each and every one who has seen to it that the summit could take place. The brutality with which the Police Forces were attacked i condemn wholeheartedly. There is no justification whatsoever for pillage, arsenic, for approval for pillage, arson, for brutal attacks. Those who act in this way are not at all interested in entering political criticism or standing up for people on this planet. To act like this can no longer be called a democrat. I talked to the chief of Police Forces who was responsible for ensuring our security. I will later on talk to the first mayor of hamburg and ask him also to pass on our thanks to his police force. Operation isthis still ongoing, and they have done a tremendous job, and i am truly grateful. I talked to the finance. We will see to it how we can together with the city of hamburg try and alleviate and also look at how, not if, we can offer compensation for the personal damage that they. Ncurred that is my way of introductory statement. Now i am open to take questions. Madame chancellor, you talked about violence. My question is to what extent have the guests, the president s, the heads noticed the violence . What about the protests, violent and peaceful . Have they had any impact on the ability to go up with a general shared communique . I believe in the many activities of a Civil Society, peacefulld label these demonstrations on the margins of this summit Civil Society engagement. Tohink they have contributed our observing that when we meet here, many, many people are expected to come up with results. A citizen at the beginning of this meeting. I also set it in public. On the other hand, the guests obviously also saw that. Some of them had firsthand experience because they were not able to leave their hotels or get to their hotels and also they watch television, so you may rest assured they were familiar with what was going on, but they were impressed also by the work of the policemen and women, and this is why they asked me to pass on their gratitude to the Police Forces and security forces. You mentioned the africa partnership. Are there specific amounts which were agreed upon . How much money would be used to promote the partnership . This compact with africa is. Ore about how i think we have all seen foritional Development Aid many years has been used as a single instrument, almost exclusively. Outinvestments were taken of a few countries with a very active state in investing in africa, but this is itself would not bring africa forward. There had to be the right mix of private investments, good government, the right conditions in place so private business would become interested. For example, legal certainty, transparency. What we also brought to the conference with africa, namely that these agreement with individual african countries ought to be forced, and also these partnerships where some have already been put in the window, if you like, so it is not a donor conference, but more an organization trying to place the spirit of partnership into the foreground and develop. Nstruments to do this africa is going to be very much invested in from this. 320 5 Million Euros can be put into this, and, obviously, they will be leveraged to the tune of several billion so they can then go towards helping young, female entrepreneurs. The United States would earmark for the World Food Program a substantial sum. If you look at south sudan, somalia, the south lake region, the sheer number of people who are affected. I would like to come back to the climate. Was an argument about how the americans could get there reservations into the communique. Why has there been no improvement in the communique . . E you condoning that are the 19 others condoning that . Is this not a major concession to the americans you are making . And there was hope the Prime Minister might return to the Paris Agreement. Do you share this optimism . At this time, i do not share this optimism. We took this up in the communique in the passage that describes the american position. It becomes clear that this is the american position. The United States of america its own position. That clearly shows they are not in on this. Second, it shows the position of all of the others, which is clearly stated, namely that the Paris Agreement is irreversible, so i think it became very clear. Unfortunately, we were not able to come to a compromise. It is very clear that there is a disagreement. Thank you very much, madame chancellor. I have a question on the riots. There has been talk of anarchy and the failure of the state. It is very atypical for germany that this should happen. Thinking about consequences should this happen again . I believe the Police Operation was executed very carefully. I believe i told you what i think of the violence at these riots. The fact that unfortunately citizens of this city had to , i said we could offer compensation to the as quickly as possible and with as little red tape and bureaucracy as possible. As we all know, demonstrations are still ongoing. I hope they will remain peaceful, but they may well turn into riots again, but our police are here. Our security. There are apparently people who have no interest whatsoever in making any substantial progress, but who in blind fear is simply destroy. Clerks we would like to come back to the sentence on the climate question. We heard this morning this was the only sentence which was pending. What changed between last night and this morning that europeans did agree to that . Amended the declaration, and it says very clearly without a doubt, the United States of , underlined very clearly what they want, and then we state very clearly what the european position is. In the english version, the United States of America States it the other members state, is clear that this is not a common position. The United States thinks of it in this way and the other Member States think of it in that way. So it was very clear. We worked on it until noon today. Im from the kurdish news agency. Madame chancellor, you have been talking to your guests about terrorism in the middle east. Against isis they are not a state yet. Are you in favor for or against the independence of kurdistan . I am for the kurdish territories being part and parcel of iraq. This is a condition for our support, and we say this in all of our talks with the kurds in iraq. Allow me if i may before mr. Freed takes the floor. Because you asked questions related to climate and energy. Whenoncern we had was that it is about what further forms of cooperation, is this only about lowwables, how can weologies continue to cooperate . Because the United States as regards gas, as regards clean coal, they want to deliver this mighter countries who look at all the others who are supporting this as well and this is why we clearly stated if you look at what you have, the declaration before you, you will see that there is a very clear distinction in the second thegraph, that it is only position of the United States. Can i come back to the question of violence, madame chancellor . If there are recriminations, i would like to ask your opinion. People are saying it was a mistake to hold the meeting in a large city in the newer district, and secondly, that u. S. Federal chancellor took this into account because of a good photo opportunity, and you jeopardize the wellbeing of police in so doing. Would you say to that . That first and foremost, we have a situation the g20 is awarded to individual regions, and this year, europe was the region to which it was awarded. We had it in london before which is not exactly a small city. All g20 members in the european union, we have the gseven meeting in italy, and this is why well, germany, in a way, lends itself to hosting this. Frankly, as a big economy, as a country that has always been out there advocating as a country interested in many developmental issues and supply chance and so is to see to it that this all forward, that we would achieve progress on these issues i felt was very important for us. Secondly, we talked about all of aboutfferent issues security and Police Forces with the city of hamburg. I do not think we can accept a situation where we say in certain areas you cannot simply hold conferences. We have here the facilities. The police have done their best. They continue to do their best. I can only say that i very much wish for a very clear distinction made. I at least do this all the time, between peaceful demonstrators. They have every right to peacefully demonstrate. But this blind fury that was unleashed that is something we cannot tolerate. Chancellor, i wanted to ask about your relationship with trump. Im over here. I wanted to ask about your relationship with the american president. You were rather critical. You said that the europeans would have to learn henceforth. We have seen a trump that has had a certain compassion towards you, would you per this would you perhaps say he has praised your conduct would you say he has learned more about what multilateral is heateralism means, or going to go home again and slept more duties on steel and such things . I can only take things as they come along. There are certain areas where i feel we have actually achieved very good agreements. The head of the World Trade Organization was quite satisfied with what we achieved. It is in many ways a more independent observer than i can be as host of the meeting. Negotiations remain difficult, getwe have been able to results. What will happen tomorrow or the day after is not something i can make any safe predictions on, but i can only hope that what i said holds true, that we as have to be the drivers of a commitment and engagement. We have to do more. This remains true, and also the fact that we need to take a stronger interest in settling International Conflicts peacefully. That remains true. There are many areas where we made clear that this is the position i took here. Feel thatnue to is difficult. I ask each and everyone to show compromise. That we have an ambitious time plan. I thought this was of the essence, not dragging it on. Retaliatorydo this, measures, which i dont think is a good thing. In the fourth row . I have a question which follows up from that. There could be a trade war opening up between the usa. The talks, the probability of such a thing has diminished. Of thelieve the result global form has been an important step forward. There has to be a lot of work, steel is only one issue of the many trade issues out there. But, what we were able to do within the framework of the g 20, the important of rulesbased International Trade regime, and steel, these are the steps that actually can be made, but this will continue to remain on the agenda. Mr. Philip from rtl. Chancellor, on the side here. Summit, we had interru