State might matter american troops in southern germany where he once served as an army officer during the cold war. Im just part of our celebrations will visit the famous shopping boulevard in what used to be west. East for the 1st flock to soon to say for a taste of capitalism. Im still going to welcome to the program. German chancellor Angela Merkel today stressed her commitment to nato rejecting criticism of the alliance from french president Emmanuel Mccraw in an interview published in the economys dues paper president mike ross said the natives undergoing what he called brain death i think that europe must start acting as a strategic world power at a joint News Conference and then chancellor nato secretary general shelton but declared that the alliance is not dying despite widespread dismay at the recent actions of the United States and turkey in Northern Syria mr stoltenberg went on to reject the notion that the us was turning its back on its european allies but said that more german Financial Support is needed. So does europe have the capacity to act as a strategic world power present micro suggests teri schultz is a de doubly correspondent a nato specialist he cant possibly think that europe can completely defend itself at the moment thats just not possible in any way not logistically theres not enough equipment theres not enough coordination theres not enough trust so what mcluhan is saying that that europe needs to go off on its own is something we talk about all the time in brussels all the time it nato and its not realistic and thats what secretary general stolzenberg and even chancellor merkel pointed out everybody believes that europe should do more to defend itself and thats why the discussion about germany equipping its own troops better recurs constantly but there isnt any way that nato will would survive if the us truly left and its not realistic for france to be suggesting such a thing while there is so little European Court a nation on defense and security issues. 3 shells reporting now the u. S. Secretary of states mike palm pilot has been in germany today meeting troops at a Training Camp in bavaria 4000 u. S. Soldiers and nato partners thats just a fraction of the 35000 u. S. Troops in the country based upon pio who was stationed in west germany during the cold war also visit a believes that has once been dividing the east west border and sneak in a little berlin the secretary of state was accompanied by German Foreign minister heiko moss the visit was timed to coincide with celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of the full of the burning or. You know the events of 98 i 2 remind me of what binds us our 2 countries free societies transatlantic allies and friends. We share a strong belief in the rule of law democracy Human Dignity free speech freedom of religion and so many other on a the right things we know to be central to these values link us together as people of this nations and they define our policy or one policy choices their secretary of state mike t. W. Reporter Marina Strauss is covering the visit welcome marina relations between germany and the us have been strained recently but that didnt seem to affect todays meeting. Now actually the the atmosphere the mood was quite friendly here in life there is a mass and pomp a on match here and this in the cities of city hall and you can you can see it behind me and they called each other large my tycho and said a lot about friendship between the 2 nations. That thank you to the United States he said that german reunification wouldnt have been possible. Without the guidance of the United States thats what he said and also pump a stress through unity and the common come and values the 2 nations share despite everything thats happened raise them but of course we shouldnt forget the tensions between germany and the u. S. Is growing we have for example the question of defense mentioned that briefly here in the press conference the United States wants to which is spend more money on defense to do more to to engage more in the world conflicts and there is also north stream to the pipeline the german russian project that the u. S. Opposes to and a long list of other issues so its not all friendship. Began in a small bavarian village with which he has a personal connection. Yeah its actually called the village of moodle roy its quite hard to pronounce even for observant speaker. President my point here was actually based near myrtle royce when he was a young man and he was a u. S. Soldier as you know it was also patrolling back there and currently he likes to tell you sorry suppose that so for him actually this journey is to germany its not only a work trip its also youre also walk down memory lane thats what he calls it. Is a hes going to inaugurate us. 2 of whom. Are. Actually a statue of another for u. S. President Ronald Reagan it will be a statue of bronze out of bronze my computer will and will to morrow when he goes to berlin it will you also merkel and some german ministers and the stature of another reagan will be placed the embassy of the United States in the heart of poland its just a close run for gates and Ronald Reagan in brawls will have the possibility of the chance to look on the side where the brother wall once stood and where he holds a speech in 1987 asking his subject counterparts mr gorbachev to tear down this wall and well as we all know 2 years later the wall fell. Very distrusting largely thank you. It was part of the doctors special coverage of this anniversary were looking at whats many times was the 1st time shopping in the capital is west on the 9th of november 989. 00 the night the ball came down john lewis across the border in that thousands and many headed straight to west balance most famous shopping for the force to street was a showcase of consumerism and the divided city today to return to the famous street looks out of what it meant for many germans from the communist east to see for the 1st time. I did a reporter Christopher Coke one of those locations where 30 years ago a lot of east germans are flocked to welcome christophe where i. I met 1st and phil as you mentioned one of maybe the most important place when it comes to showcasing capitalism in germany there are few other places as significant as the 1st and dumb with all a Free Market Society had to offer and all the might of the consumer on display here both of which were unheard of in the east of the country you have shops here selling the odd code here fashion from paris of course handmade she was from italy pricey jewelry with diamonds from botswana nowadays theres even a tesla store so you can stroll up and down this for kilometer boulevard or just shop at the Big Department store the Department Store of the vest as its as its called at the western end of it and people 30 years ago came here in droves to see what a Free Market Society had to offer and you have to keep in mind that the west German Government gave 100. 00 marks to each east certain german citizen crossing the border for the 1st time and to spend this the cash this much sought after currency which was very hard to get by in these well visiting corpus and dumb would be a Good Opportunity and as this is a police officer. In the commemoration of the coming down of the wall this is been selected as one of these 7 sites where big projections are taking place all throughout this week showing images sounds and historic footage of people back then of the mood of the of the joy also of the anxiousness that many people felt they show pictures of political leaders that were involved back then so these are on this play on on gigantic projections here on call for saddam as well as. At 6 other locations throughout the city now with me here is and they ask or smile or one of the witnesses of the wall coming down the borders open back then when we talk about this location the cool 1st and dumb as a as a showcase of a Free Market Society of an abundance of what is there in terms of consumer goods what was the say it 1st thing that you bought with your 100. 00 marks a walk in money the very 1st thing i had to buy was. In stuttgart not here because tens of november i travel to stuttgart and i had to buy a train ticket to my friends outside of stuttgart and it wasnt from my own money but because i came with no money in my pocket no hard currency and i went to the social station of the train station in stuttgart and they gave me 10. 00 box to buy a train ticket and a cup of coffee and then the next day my friends gave me some money and i went had the pick pedestrian streets took up in stuttgart areas to huge bookstores and that street and im a book lover and so this was a big surprise and it was really overwhelming because i was longing for special books for a long time and thought the stores really this books. And the pocket pocket book addition to pilots not only some books everybody of my love beloved books. This book store and i was confused i didnt know what to do like im standing beside of myself and i went there and at that think i think someone overwhelming to be there yes yes ever since in every sense and thats why they i didnt buy anything books also at only bought bought something that got the next thing was some vegetarian foot at the special shop things i never ate before i did when you look back. Back at the at the mood back then obviously there was a lot of surprise a lot of joy people were extremely excited about this historic event happening how do you look back on the time. It was a time of very big expectations at the beginning the expectations were very bold as we all said you have seen that india t. V. Documentations ok just want to have a look just take make a round and go back to work also but we could see so many possibilities and for our life we slowly realized the big. Big event of opportunities for the new beginning a new life and of course these expectations rose so some hate we never could fulfill and so disappointment later on was unavoidable but because of that its very necessary every here to remember this joy this this amount of hole so we preserve a lot of hope for the days to come but other is his mother thank you so much and a reporter from the town they do we will have a special coverage this week of celebrations marking the fall of burden both 30 years ago we also have live coverage of the main ceremonies and commemorations this saturday thats nothing but the night for now though well leave you with pictures of the longest surviving stretch a wall today its called the east side gallery and its hosting a light show tomorrow behind us 3 have a good day. d in the. Next. Week. Where i come from 2 we have to fight for a free press and was born and raised in a military dictatorship with just one t. V. Channel and a few his favorite one official information as a journalist i have worked on the streets of many can trust and they have problems are always the same core to social inequality a lack of the freedom of the press and corruption we can afford to stay so