British Prime Minister Gordon Brown met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin during his first official trip abroad, vowing to strengthen bilateral ties and expand cooperation on global issues.
"Our countries have had excellent cooperation and relations. I look forward to strengthening these relations," Brown told reporters before he met Merkel in the federal chancellery.
Merkel welcomed Brown with full military honors, saying that she planned wide-ranging discussions to address bilateral as well as global issues, including poverty alleviation and climate change.
Meanwhile, Brown defended Britain's decision announced earlier this week to expel four Russian diplomats in protest against Russia's refusal to extradite the key suspect in the murder of ex- Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko in London.
"We want the best possible relationship with Russia. We are sad that the cooperation has not been forthcoming," he said.
Brown highly valued Merkel's efforts in securing a deal over a new European Union reform treaty at the EU summit in Brussels last month.
"I think we have the basis for an agreement for the future," he said.
Brown, who succeeded Tony Blair on June 27, listed climate change as one of the top priorities.
Britain will help forge an agreement on a new global pact on curbing greenhouse gas emissions to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012, he said.
Source: Xinhua
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