(Washington, DC) -- President Obama hosted a White House mini-summit with German Chancellor Angela Merkel this morning.

Obama praised the U.S.-German alliance and noted that Merkel's visit comes days before the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Merkel grew up in Communist East Germany.

President Obama called Germany an "extraordinarily strong ally on a whole host of international issues," including climate change, Afghanistan, the global recession, nuclear nonproliferation and the Iranian nuclear threat.

It's Merkel's first American visit since winning re-election in September.

Merkel is also set to address a joint meeting of the Senate and House, the first time in more than 50-years that a German chancellor has addressed U.S. lawmakers.

　

(Copyright 2009 by VERTEXNews/Newsroom Solutions)