57th anniversary of Franco-German treaty

US should ease Pak-India tension

By Saleh Zaafir

ISLAMABAD: The ambassadors of France and Germany maintained here Wednesday that after centuries of hostilities and wars between their countries, strong political will and people-to-people contacts paved the way to overcome “hereditary enmity” and establish Franco-German friendship. This successful reconciliation process might be a source of inspiration for other regions as well.

During Hamid Mir’s Programme Capital Talk of Geo News, German Ambassador Bernhard Schlagheck, while replying a question that can President Trump play role in easing tension between India and Pakistan, said that US is a universal power and has played role in uniting European countries and he should also play role in easing tension between India and Pakistan in South Asia. French Ambassador Dr Marc Baréty was also present on the occasion.

German and French embassies in Islamabad celebrated 57th anniversary of Franco-German friendship treaty and first anniversary of the Treaty of Aachen. The occasion was the 57th anniversary of the Treaty of Elysée and of the first anniversary of the Treaty of Aachen, basis of German-French reconciliation and friendship.

French Ambassador Dr Marc Baréty and German Ambassador Bernhard Schlagheck gave a joint lecture on “German-French friendship as the ground for effective multilateralism” at Nust University.

The lecture was attended by students and faculty members of the university’s department for public policy and governance. The German and French embassies in Islamabad celebrated the Franco-German friendship day with a joint lunch of both Embassies’ staff.

On the same occasion both ambassadors gave a joint interview to a private television channel.

During the lecture at Nust, both ambassadors emphasised: “After centuries of hostilities and wars between our countries, strong political will and people-to-people contacts paved the way to overcome ‘hereditary enmity’ and establish Franco-German friendship. This successful reconciliation process might be a source of inspiration for other regions as well.”

January 22 marks an important date in the history of both countries as on this date in 1963, French President General de Gaulle and German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer signed in Paris the Elysée Treaty on cooperation between the two countries that marked the beginning of an era of friendship and cooperation between Germany and France after more than a century of hostilities and wars.