Merkel calls for "collective response" to Syrian crisis

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Merkel calls for "collective response" to Syrian crisis

(Xinhua) 20:55, September 03, 2013

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for a "collective response of the international community" to the crisis in Syria on Tuesday, saying that she would push for action in the upcoming G20 summit.

In the final session of parliament before its September 22 election, Merkel reiterated her position that Germany would not participate in military intervention against the alleged chemical weapon use in Syria without a UN mandate.

Germans were scheduled to elect a new parliament in less than three weeks. Recent polls showed that more than half the German population oppose military action by western countries in Syria.

In their only televised debate on Sunday, both Merkel and her challenger Peer Steinbrueck stressed that Germany would not participate in military strike on Syria.

Merkel's Christian Democratic Union and its Bavarian sister party Christian Social Union gained a support of 39 percent, a poll by research institute INSA showed on Monday. Its main opponent Social Democratic Party had a support rate of 26 percent in the same survey.

In Tuesday's parliament session, Merkel called her past term "four good years" with low unemployment and a strong economy. She asked for four more years to "continue on the path to success."

（Editor：WangXin、Hongyu）