Tensions Between France and Germany Over Roma at a Meeting of European Leaders

Tensions Between France and Germany Over Roma at a Meeting of European Leaders:

BERLIN — Tension between France and Germany worsened on Friday after the German government publicly contradicted remarks made by French President Nicolas Sarkozy about France’s expulsion of Roma at a meeting of European leaders.

The altercation seemed to mark a significant widening of the diplomatic repercussions spreading across Europe after France began expelling Roma living illegally in France earlier this year.

The issue carries heavy historical freight for Germans: earlier this week, Viviane Reding, the European Union justice commissioner, drew a parallel between Mr. Sarkozy’s decision to expel thousands of Roma to ethnic cleansing by the Nazis during World War II. Mr. Sarkozy told reporters Thursday night after a heated meeting in Brussels, initially called to promote Europe’s role on the global stage, that Chancellor Angela Merkel had told him she intended to dismantle Roma camps in her country in the coming weeks. Then, said Mr. Sarkozy, “We’ll see how calm German politics will become.”

But as soon as Mrs. Merkel’s plane landed back in Berlin, the chief government spokesman, Steffen Seibert, flatly denied that Mrs. Merkel had made such comments to Mr. Sarkozy. The spokesman said the issue of Roma camps in Germany was never discussed.

The French government had no immediate official comment.

Aides to Mr. Sarkozy have been instructed not to comment on any aspect of the alleged conversation, according to one of them, speaking on condition of anonymity in keeping with official rules.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said he was not present for any such exchange between Mr. Sarkozy and Mrs. Merkel. Asked on Europe 1 radio if the French had invented her words, Mr. Kouchner said, “History will decide,” adding that he was not present for the alleged conversation, though he was “there the whole time.”“
The unusually blunt dispute between Paris and Berlin dominated the news in Berlin on Friday, with commentators asking how Mr. Sarkozy and Mrs. Merkel, whose relationship has never been close, can improve cooperation between their countries — considered crucial for furthering European integration and projecting a common foreign policy — with a diplomatic controversy swirling around them.

Guido Westerwelle, the German foreign minister who also attended the Brussels meeting, waded into the dispute on Friday, telling German radio that Mrs. Merkel had made no pronouncements of any kind related to the Roma community in Germany.

“The chancellor both told publicly and me personally how the conversation went” with Mr. Sarkozy.

“There have been no announcements,” said Mr. Westerwelle. “This would be in contradiction to the German constitutional framework. I suspect that this is a misunderstanding.”

He did, however, criticize — without naming her directly — Ms. Reding.

“To put France into the same category as the crimes of World War II is totally unacceptable, very hurtful and presumably has led to the angry reaction of the French president,” Mr. Westerwelle added.

Mrs. Merkel has also said it was unacceptable to compare France’s expulsions of the Roma, also known as Gypsies, to Nazi deportations.

France has been under increasing criticism for its expulsion policy. On Tuesday, the European Commission called the expulsions a “disgrace” and threatened legal action against the French government.

The latest dispute between Paris and Berlin is just one of many in recent months.

Mrs. Merkel and Mr. Sarkozy publicly disagreed over how to strengthen the European Union’s Stability Pact in order to protect the euro from turbulence and ensure that countries which have adopted the euro adhere to strict rules for containing budget deficits.

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