Munich — German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday that Islam was not the source of terrorism.
“It was critical to include Muslim countries in the fight against Islamist terrorism,” Merkel said in a speech to the Munich Security Conference, where US Vice President Mike Pence was in the audience.
She also said that Europe’s ties with Russia remained challenging, but it was important to work with Russia in the fight against terrorism.
“The joint fight against Islamist terrorism is one area where we have the same interests and we can work together,” Merkel said.
Last week Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Naif, deputy premier and minister of interior, said in a press statement that all religions are separate from the beliefs and actions of extremist groups, noting that religious, political and social groups which have used religion as a tool throughout history do not reflect the truth.
He was speaking after receiving the George Tenet medal from CIA Director Michael Pompeo for his distinct intelligence-related counter-terrorism work and his contributions to ensure international peace and security.
The Crown Prince said Saudi Arabia has played a key role in the fight against terrorism and condemns all forms and manifestations of terrorism.
“We, God willing, continue to confront terrorism and extremism everywhere, and with thanks to God we have managed to thwart many terrorist plots from occurring,” he said.
The Crown Prince also stressed that the fight against terrorism is a shared international responsibility that requires international efforts at all levels to confront it militarily and intellectually, as well as financially.
The German chancellor said that she would like to discuss cyber attacks and fake news with Russia, but it was questionable whether the problem of fake news could be successfully addressed before European elections this year.
“We know that Russia communicates very openly that it views hybrid warfare as a form of defense,” Merkel told the Munich Security Conference when asked about the issue of fake news.
“If I could wish for one thing, it would certainly be very good to get this topic, for example, on the agenda in the framework of NATO-Russia talks.”
Merkel appealed to the United States and others to support and bolster multilateral organizations such as the European Union, the United Nations and NATO, an alliance to which US Vice President Mike Pence pledged America’s commitment was “unwavering.”
“Will we be able to continue working well together, or will we all fall back into our individual roles?” Merkel asked. — Agencies
