As a further sign that all is not well in the Franco-German motor of Europe, the two countries will not issue a joint statement ahead of the next EU summit as Berlin had hoped. The development comes as France slips further into economic malaise.
It's no secret that major differences are stewing between Berlin and Paris over the best recipes for combating the debt crisis. Despite efforts by French President François Hollande to suggest relations are just fine, they clearly aren't. In an address to his country on Thursday in which he pushed for an economic government in the euro zone, Hollande once again stated France has no problems with Germany and that his interactions with Chancellor Angela Merkel are "respectful." The only issues, he said, are when it comes to Europe. And even then, he said, Germany is prepared to make compromises, even if it "sometimes takes a while."
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