Protests mar Merkel, Sarkozy meeting

Leftist protesters in Germany have tried to disrupt a meeting between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

At least two protesters were arrested in the German city of Freiburg on Friday as Chancellor Merkel and President Sarkozy visited a city marketplace.

A woman who tried to hurl a full bottle of water at both leaders as they were walking was restrained and taken away. A man was held for carrying a club, a police spokesman said.

Part of Freiburg, in south-western Germany, was cordoned off. Police said under 100 people took part in a nearby demonstration where drums were banged in protest. Shouting and derisive whistles came from the crowd as the leaders visited a city marketplace.

Police reinforcements had been called in after alleged threats by leftists to invade the summit. Security was very tight.

Before the regular joint meeting of the German and French cabinets in Freiburg, Merkel said the crisis demanded a “stronger and harder” look at economic coordination, with the aim of “better show[ing] the coherence of economic policies” of individual member states.

Merkel and Sarkozy called on their European Union partners on Friday to draw a fundamental lesson from the eurozone debt crisis and take steps towards closer political integration.

Her comments reflect a growing appreciation in Berlin that the sovereign-debt crisis that has gripped the 16-nation single currency zone is as much the result of failed fiscal harmonization as of the oft-cited greedy speculators.

Sarkozy said the introduction of eurobonds under current circumstances would “take the responsibility” for national budgets from individual governments, although he added that “one could maybe think about” taking this step when economic policies were more harmonized.

Both Germany and France have rejected the idea of creating eurozone bonds as a solution to Europe’s debt crisis.

The head of the committee of eurozone finance ministers, Jean-Claude Juncker, has lashed out at Germany for creating what he called taboo zones.

Juncker says the euro group favors launching E-bonds, or European sovereign bonds.