Merkel says German-French ties closer

PARIS, Oct. 29 (UPI) -- Germany and France are working on closer ties on issues such as education, research and the global economy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.

Hours after being sworn in for a second term as chancellor, Merkel was welcomed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy for a dinner at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Euronews.net reported Wednesday.

"We have given projects like education, research and the future full priority in our goals for the coalition for the next four years, and economic growth," Merkel told reporters. "And that is exactly what France and Germany can discuss even more closely than we have up until now."

Back home, Merkel faces criticism that she isn't doing enough to bring Germany's expanding budget deficit under control, Euronews.net said. Her new coalition government recently unveiled a program that includes a multi-billion euro tax relief plan, but doesn't provide details about how the cuts would be financed.