Joint statement from Foreign Secretary and German Foreign Minister following bilateral meeting in Berlin

Today we reaffirmed our commitment to a strong and productive bilateral relationship between the United Kingdom and Germany, founded on our common European background and mutual desire to promote joint interests and shared values around the world.

We welcomed the High Level Meeting between the EU and the UK that took place on 15 June and exchanged views on our respective positions regarding the ongoing EU-UK negotiations. It was agreed that the intensification of talks next month was an important step to reach an agreement on the future EU/UK relationship before the transition period ends at the end of this year.

We welcomed the strong UK – German cooperation in the battle against Covid-19, whether it is the joint efforts of our scientists to advance cutting-edge research, the provision of crucial equipment to treat Covid-19 patients or each flying hundreds of the other’s nationals safely home. We agreed to continue working closely together to support public health systems around the world, the role of the World Health Organisation, research into a vaccine and efforts to ensure its fair distribution globally, and appropriate measures to promote a sustainable international economic recovery. We reaffirmed the necessity of further efforts to mitigate the risks in the event of a potential second wave in the autumn.

We agreed to work together on many of the most important foreign policy issues facing the world today, from the Middle East Peace Process to our shared concerns at China’s proposal to impose a national security law in Hong Kong. We looked forward to working closely together to raise climate ambition and to make a success of COP 26 and of the Biodiversity Cop 15. We continue to support UN-led efforts to resolve the ongoing conflicts in Libya and Yemen, and remain committed to seeking to alleviate the humanitarian suffering they have caused which threatens to be amplified by Covid-19 . We remain steadfast in our support for NATO, whose last Leaders’ Meeting took place in London 2019, and discussed its current agenda.

We look forward to future opportunities to renew and intensify our high-level bilateral dialogue on key issues of mutual interest.

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