Austrian, German Chancellors Meet

The chancellors of Germany and Austria met for the first time since the far-right Freedom Party entered the Austrian government in February, ending a political rift that intensified when Germany backed European Union sanctions against Austria. The meeting in Berlin between Gerhard Schroeder and Austria’s Wolfgang Schuessel is seen as a sign of normalizing relations between the neighbors, which traditionally have had strong ties. Joerg Haider, the Freedom Party’s best-known figure, has long been criticized for remarks sympathetic toward aspects of the Nazi regime.