Sombre mood as Germany marks 30 years of fall of Berlin Wall

Germany opened on Monday a week of festivities marking three decades since the fall of the Berlin Wall, but a hint of a return of the Cold War and the rise of nationalism is dampening the mood.

Leaders of former Cold War powers will be absent from anniversary festivities, as Donald Trump's America First, Britain's Brexit and Russia's resurgence put a strain on ties.

Gone, too, is the euphoric optimism for liberal democracy and freedom that characterised the momentous event on November 9, 1989, as Germany grapples with a surge in far-right support in its former communist states.

"The spirit of optimism" seen 30 years ago, or even five or 10 years ago, "is not perceivable" today, noted Berlin official Klaus Lederer, whose office spearheaded the festivities.

Issuing a warning against "the current situation in the world" as he launched the week of celebrations, Berlin mayor Michael Mueller said the German capital must show it stands for freedom.

"We fight against all forms of exclusion," he said.

As a sign of the tense times, Germany is putting on a sober political programme to mark the epochal event that led to reunification and brought down the Iron Curtain dividing a communist East from a capitalist West.

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the anniversary was also a chance to remind Europe it needs to stay united in the face of rising geopolitical tensions around the world.

"Exhortations from individual European capitals fall on deaf ears in Moscow, Beijing and, unfortunately, to an increasing extent also in Washington DC," he wrote in an op-ed carried in newspapers across the EU on Saturday.

"It is only Europe's voice that carries decisive weight. This is why unilateral action at the national level must finally be taboo in Europe."
Pompeo's office said talks with his counterpart Maas will "discuss the importance of our Transatlantic partnership and the need for strengthened engagement in the face of growing threats from Russia, China, and Iran."