Merkel - It was right not to gloss over differences with U.S. on climate

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) sits next to Tunisia's President Beji Caid Essebsi (C) and speaks to President Donald Trump (R) as they attend a G7 expanded session during the G7 Summit in Taormina, Sicily, Italy. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday it was right not to gloss over differences with the United States on climate issues and added that a G7 debate at the weekend had shown it would be tough to make the Paris climate agreement successful. U.S. President Donald Trump refused to endorse the global climate change accord at the G7 meeting of wealthy nations at the weekend, saying he needed more time to decide. Speaking at a conference on sustainable development in Berlin, Merkel reiterated her view that allies could no longer always be relied on and that Europeans should take their fate into their own hands more - a comment that shocked Washington and London when she first made it on Sunday. (Reporting by Andreas Rinke; Writing by Michelle Martin; Editing by Paul Carrel)