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Merkel set to address US Congress Merkel makes historic US address
(about 4 hours later)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will make a rare address to both houses of the US Congress on Tuesday. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is making a rare address to both houses of the US Congress.
She is only the second German chancellor to be accorded the honour, after Konrad Adenauer in 1957.She is only the second German chancellor to be accorded the honour, after Konrad Adenauer in 1957.
Her speech is expected to focus on climate change, transatlantic ties and the downfall of Communism in Europe.Her speech is expected to focus on climate change, transatlantic ties and the downfall of Communism in Europe.
Before that, Mrs Merkel holds talks at the White House with President Barack Obama, with Afghanistan and Iran likely to be high on the agenda. Before that, Mrs Merkel held talks at the White House with President Barack Obama, who hailed her as an "extraordinary leader".
Both issues are expected to be thorny ones, says the BBC's Berlin correspondent, Steve Rosenberg. "Germany has been an extraordinarily strong ally on a whole host of international issues," Mr Obama said, with Mrs Merkel at his side in the Oval Office.
Thorny issues
He praised the German chancellor - re-elected in September at the helm of a centre-right coalition - for her leadership on "the issue of climate change".
President Obama also thanked Mrs Merkel for her country's "sacrifice" in keeping forces in Afghanistan.
The Afghanistan issue was expected to prove a thorny one during the bilateral talks, says BBC Berlin correspondent Steve Rosenberg.
The US wants Germany to send more troops to Afghanistan, a request that would not go down well with the German public, says our correspondent.The US wants Germany to send more troops to Afghanistan, a request that would not go down well with the German public, says our correspondent.
On Iran, which has close trading ties with Germany, President Obama is expected to seek backing for economic sanctions if there is no resolution to the dispute over Tehran's nuclear programme. Also expected to be on the agenda was Iran, which has close trading ties with Germany.
'Urgent task' President Obama is expected to seek backing for economic sanctions if there is no resolution to the dispute over Tehran's nuclear programme.
As the Copenhagen summit approaches, Mrs Merkel is also likely to push for stronger US backing for a deal on tackling climate change.As the Copenhagen summit approaches, Mrs Merkel is also likely to push for stronger US backing for a deal on tackling climate change.
"The world will be watching Copenhagen," she said in a video message at the weekend. "The fight against climate change is one of the most urgent tasks worldwide," she said in a video message at the weekend.
"The fight against climate change is one of the most urgent tasks worldwide."
The issues of how to bring peace to the Middle East, financial reform and global economic recovery are also on the agenda.The issues of how to bring peace to the Middle East, financial reform and global economic recovery are also on the agenda.