"Ladies and gentlemen, an eventful day has ended and Christian Wulff is the president of the Federal Republic of Germany, " she said.

BBC: Merkel candidate Wulff wins presidency on third attempt

Mr. KARSTEN VOIGT (Coordinator, German-American Cooperation, Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany): The mood is that the Germany is soft on Iran.

NPR: German Chancellor Merkel to Visit Bush

Dr. Angela Merkel came to symbolize the triumph of freedom by becoming the first East German to serve as chancellor of a united Federal Republic of Germany.

WHITEHOUSE: State Dinner for German Chancellor Merkel

Member nations are: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center for Security Policy | Alcatel��s Soviet Joint Venture: A Sale The West Cannot Afford To Make

The state-backed development lender founded in 1948 - even before the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany - is 80%-owned by the federal government and the states own the rest.

BBC: How do countries run their state banks?