German Chancellor Angela Merkel issued a personal call on the German people to achieve a bit more in the coming year.

In her first New Year's speech to be broadcast Saturday, Merkel said: "How would it be if we all set a goal tonight to accomplish a bit more in the coming year?" She said her grand coalition government would set the best example.

Germany has the potential to resolve its economic and social problems and the government intends to lead the way with a frank discussion of the challenges and plans of tackling them, the new chancellor said.

"Setting unattainable goals? That is not our style. Making promises we cannot keep? You have had enough of that," she said.

She reaffirmed her promise to rebuild Germany into one of Europe's most dynamic economies by 2010 by slashing public debt, reforming the labor market, curbing red tape and improving the investment climate.

She said her "greatest wish" for 2006 was for Germany to live "in peace and freedom" with its neighbors and called to that end for a rapid relaunch of efforts to approve a European constitution, which was rejected in French and Dutch referenda in the mid-2005.

Merkel noted that the whole world would focus their attention on Germany in 2006, especially when next summer's football World Cup is staged throughout the country.

"The world will be watching Germany just like 16 years ago with the fall of the Berlin Wall," said Merkel, adding the events could not be compared "but nevertheless, billions of people will be watching the World Cup on television and millions will come to visit us."

She called on German men football players to achieve as well as the country's women team.

"The women's national soccer team is already the world champion and I see no reason why men should not be able to achieve the same as women," she said.

Merkel narrowly defeated former chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in the Sept. 18 national election and was sworn in on Nov. 22 as the first female chancellor in Germany's history.

Source: Xinhua