>> hello and welcome to the journal. i am terry martin in berlin. >> i am steve chaid at the business desk. chancellor merkle says germany is committed to un millennium development goals. after the latest shooting deaths in germany, the debate on tougher gun control reopens. germany opens a new campaign to raise awareness of child abuse. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> world leaders are meeting in new york for a second of talks aimed at renewing efforts to

achieve the un's millennium development goals. current projections indicate the united nations could come short of meeting its poverty reduction targets as planned by 2015. german chancellor angela merkle said tuesday good governance should be a greater priority for countries hoping to receive development aid. >> this un video clip underscores the importance of the millennium development goals. it shows people reporting from across the world on what has been achieved and what still needs doing. there are eight goals in total. they include tackling poverty and hunger, introducing universal primary education, and fighting diseases like aids and malaria. progress has been modest. it is widely acknowledged that not all will be fulfilled on time. african leaders appealed for more to be done. >> it is clear that the continent still has far to go,

yet i know that if we intensify our focus and effort we will ultimately achieve them. >> chancellor merkle has promised to help. she said germany would continue increasing its development aid budget, but said recipient countries must also do their part. >> the primary responsibility for development lies with the governments of the developing countries. they are the ones who can determine the effectiveness of aid. their support of good governance is just as important as the aid itself. >> the leaders gathered in new york will now have to outline how the millennium goals can be achieved and what action will follow their words. >> earlier, we spoke to our u.s. correspondent, max hoffman. he told us how world leaders are responding. >> the highlight for the german

viewpoint was the speech of chancellor merkle today, where she reaffirmed that germany was going to send 0.7% of the gross national -- the gross national product on foreign aid, or at least was planning to reach this number. of course, we know that budgetary plans in germany are a lot different from that at least at the moment. so we will have to see if it is possible for the current government in germany to realize these plans. on the other hand, a lot of people are trying to figure out if this summit is a success or if it is a failure. it always depends who you ask and on the viewpoint. what the summit has been lacking so far are big plans how to turn around the millennium development goals for the next five years and get them going even more. we have not seen any of that so far. what we have seen are a lot of heads of state and heads of government bring a lot of

attention to the goals. that is always a good thing and that is what many people, including the ngos, hope will translate into more money and more effort, especially for sub- saharan africa. >> max hoffman in new york. we will be taking an in-depth look at the millennium goal summit later in "the journal." afghan election observers have called for an independent investigation into reports of widespread fraud in saturday's parliamentary vote. the largest observer organization has published a document which says the vote was marred by ballot stuffing, repeat voting, and the use of fake voter i.d. cards. preliminary results from the election are expected early next month. you just as commissioner redding says her comments about the transport of rum up migrants may have been misinterpreted, --

roma migrants may have been misinterpreted, but she has not apologized. she compared it to actions during the second world war, which was criticized by nicolas sarkozy. the eu is said to be considering legal proceedings against france over its treatment of roma migrants. "just as commissioner earned the ire of the french government when she criticized the policy of deporting roma. paris slammed her allusion to nazi persecution as inappropriate for a member of the commission. reiding is untroubled by the diplomatic pressure. >> we have constructed this europe on values so that certain things never happen again. families are not deported because one member of the family has, in the eyes of a

ruler, done something wrong. >> but for the eu commission and many parliamentarians, the dispute is much more fundamental. >> this power struggle is not new. it has been going on for ages. europe is all about deciding on a direction. it is either about setting europe up as a solution for worldwide problems or deciding to re-nationalize. >> redding says she still has to decide whether france's expulsion is in line with eu laws. if not, she will consider launching proceedings against paris at the next commission meeting. >> ireland is struggling to get back on its financial feet. >> it was a very important day for the emerald isle. things went better than expected. ireland's economy passed a key test of investor confidence this tuesday, a sale of 1.5 billion euros of government bonds that

was actually oversubscribed, easing worries about the country's ability to service its debt, despite a high deficit in bank bailout costs. the national treasury and management agency says it is offering 1 billion year rose in a year bonds that will pay just over 6%, and 500 million worth that will pay just over 4.8%. the sales bit over five times the amount on auction. it offered for government borrowing. interest rates on irish bonds have surged amid weakening doubts about ireland's ability to remain liquid and manage its past that. after rising to six week highs during the trading session, european blue chips fell late in the session. we were sent this suffering -- the summary of the trading day from frankfurt. >> ireland is not bad. it has been able to issue to bonds.

the auctions have been very well received. investors learned that ireland has not to call for help by the imf. these rumors are rumors. they are not true. this brought some confidence back into the market, especially if you look at the currency market. the euro went above $1.31. the stock market in general went down until the end of the session. there was a lot of uncertainty driving the market down. investors are still not sure if the u.s. economy is on the way to recovery or not. >> that was from frankfurt, where we can stay for a closer look at tuesday's numbers. the dax gave up 0.3%. similar picture for the euro stocks 50 index. the eurozone blue chips closed at 674 points. in europe, stocks surged after the federal reserve left

interest rates unchanged, near historic lows at between 0% and 0.25%. the fed said it was prepared to take action to support the u.s. economic recovery if needed. the dow closed at the top of the hour just a touch higher. the euro is currently selling at a value of $1.3241. the commercial vehicle sector was one of the hardest hit during the downturn. the global rebound is fueling optimism in the industry. at this year pep talk show in hanover, which is hosting over 1700 international exhibitors, the crisis is in the rearview mirror. the road ahead looks good. >> commercial vehicle manufacturers are gaining ground again in the auto industry, posting strong sales despite difficult times. here in hanover, the outlook is much better than it was last

year. >> europe has seen strong growth across the continent in almost every european country. the demand is coming from the middle east and asia, too, although the asian market never really slowed down. >> the industry strategy is to keep customer costs low. this model presents a special aerodynamic design that can /petrol consumption by 0.25%. -- that can slash petrol consumption by 0.25%. this one consumes 0.15% less -- consumes 15% less petrol. >> we will work together with our customers and find a way to increase efficiency. >> an electric engine is

already pouring several models. this can cover have a ton for 120 kilometers using very little power. france has ordered 1004 their fleet. >> the winter of 2009 is still a bitter memory in europe, especially because of the dispute over national gas prices between russia and ukraine which led to supply disruption. the european parliament has passed a law aimed at securing a reserve to bridge any future gaps in supply to the you -- the e.u. >> the e.u. is determined to avoid the scenes in recent winters as gas supply was cut off or reduced. member states will soon have to hold an adequate reserve to cover emergencies. >> a 30-day buffer is not a featherbed, but it is a basis for going into the winter and any potential crises with somewhat more confidence.

>> all member states will be required to help out in the event of shortages. to accomplish that, the you will expand its infrastructure and joint pipelines. critics say it is not enough. >> i think it would be an important element of progress and a continuation of the european integration process if we were to set up a common european community for energy questions. >> a common energy-related foreign policy is already in the making, because europe is hugely dependent on russian gas supplies. some members are wonder% dependent on russia for their gas. -- are 100% dependent on russia for their gas. >> police in baden said autopsies have revealed that the 41-year-old woman at the center of sunday's rampage smothered her five bam -- 5-year-old son and shot her husband.

18 people were injured before the woman was shot down by police. germany weapons laws were tightened just one year ago. >> people are still trying to come to terms with sunday's shootings. the motive for the rampage are still unknown. it is clear the 41-year-old killer was a member of a gun club in the past. she kept a weapon in her home, which is legal under current german law. opposition politicians say this law must be changed. >> there are over 10 million weapons in german households and they have no business being there. first and foremost, we need to start disarming and get weapons out of homes. >> germany's gun laws have been tightened in recent years. the legislation calls for a central gun ownership database and managing checks that owners

are properly securing their weapons. police said the problem is enforcement of those laws. >> mostly, these controls are not happening because enforcement agencies do not have the manpower. that means we are making laws without being sure we can enforce them. >> for now, the citizens are mourning the dead and preparing the memorial service for the victims. >> the german government is launching a campaign to raise awareness about child abuse. earlier this year, the company was rocked by a series of scandals involving several institutions, including catholic-run schools. the government has appointed a special representative who is encouraging victims to speak out. >> german film director wim wenders directed this tv ad as part of a multimedia campaign to encourage victims of child sex abuse to break their silence. several victims are convinced

the campaign can do just that. >> the message is that it is important to speak out. it is the only way to free yourself from the prison abuse victims find themselves in. >> christine bergmann was named special representative for child abuse in march. her office has received millions of phone calls in e-mails. she believes the statute of limitations on abuse should be extended. >> we should all make sure that children never again have to go to these kind of experiences. >> the sexual abuse scandals broke earlier this year. since then, german experts have expressed surprise that far more men have experienced sexual abuse than previously thought. many of them were abused in church institutions. the issue was top of the agenda at the annual meeting of the

german bishops' conference. the catholic church has promised to crack down on abuses in its ranks. officials say they are considering how to compensate victims. >> german soccer. the bundesliga clubs have been back in action. bremen's rocky form continues. they got hammered for-1 by hanover. 4-1 by hanover. meanwhile, in the second division, the berlin club has again shown it means business with its promise to move straight back up to the top by the end of this season. the club or at home on tuesday and got off to a great start with romos scoring the first goal after 16 seconds. the final score, 4-0.

they have not yet returned to the top of the table. in that is up next. stay tuned.

>> welcome back. as far as the new millennium, the nations of the world agreed on a set of targets for international development. they planned to achieve them by the year 2015. they became known as the millennium development goals. the plan was to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, ensure education for all children, provide gender equality, reduce infant mortality, improve maternal health, combat disease, create environmental sustainability, and achieve a global partnership for development. with just five years left, it seems unlikely that many of these goals will be met. funding has been a problem. the world's richest countries

pledged to contribute 0.7% of gdp to development aid. that figure has not been achieved. the recent financial crisis has seen many countries cutting back further. last year, germany's development aid amounted to just 0.35% of its gdp, far less than what had been pledged. >> around the world, a child dies every three seconds. german television stars and aid organizations made this advertising campaign to point out the lack of willingness to help on the part of wealthy countries, including germany. they say the german government has missed an opportunity. >> we believe it would have been important to adopt a concrete plan of action, and as a result take on a leading role. >> at the first millennium summit 10 years ago, the german chancellor at the time voted in favor of the final documents goals and the resulting costs for richer countries.

initially, germany's budget for development aid remained fairly static. it only began to increase significantly after the change of government in 2005, climbing to just over 6 million euros today. at the g eight summit -- at the g-8 summit, chancellor local renewed its commitment. they plan to increase development aid to 0.7% of gross domestic product by 2013. germany appeared to take the lead, and not just in europe. priorities changed after the financial crisis began. growing concern about public debt led to curtailment in the aid budget for this year and next. at a meeting of eight activists in early september, the chancellor'sjujpt was clear. >> i have made it clear despite the economic crisis germany will not reduce its development budget. how the money is used is also a

consideration. that can only work if there is cooperation between donor tries and the recipients. >> germany's new credo of more efficiency rather than increased funding means the 0.7% goal is disappearing even further into the distance. you and representatives have reacted with surprise and disappointment. -- un representatives have reacted with surprise and disappointment. >> the united kingdom and belgium, the amount of money they are giving to developing countries has been increasing every year, even up to 2010, despite the financial crisis. i am very worried. i do not understand. the crisis hardly fits you. you are the first economy to rebound. germany is a responsible country. it is a country that internationally is expected to do what they promise. so it is very disappointing.

>> germany's development minister says the criticism is unjustified. he insists the government has not officially abandoned the 0.7% target and stresses that germany is serious about getting more out of every euro expense. >> worldwide, germany is the third largest donor country. the european union, in which would provide a certain share of funding, is the biggest donor worldwide. i would like to see a larger increase in my budget, but the fact that my budget is still increasing, no matter how slightly, despite our austerity rules, is a sign of real commitment to development work. >> at the same time, the german and -- the german government is trying in vietnam to support private investment in developing countries. to save money, three of germany's four development organizations tasked with direct implementation are being merged. critics say efficiency alone is

not enough. >> germany has to deliver what it has promised fully in the past to be believed as a key leader of the european union, when germany in the european union is negotiating a group of deals. >> germany and many other donor countries have already accepted that sum millennium targets will not be met by 2015. >> the target should not be watered down. that way there is still pressure to achieve them. but we also have to consider the time beyond 2015 and which targets to keep pursuing, and if some need to be changed or redefined. >> it is possible to do it, but the political will is lacking. if large sums of money were made available during the financial crisis -- >> that is why german aid organizations say they want to keep up the pressure on berlin until 2015 for more money and a

greater commitment. >> joining us now from bonn is the coordinator of the united nations millennium campaign here in germany. in her speech to the united nations, chancellor merkle noted some progress had been made toward the millennium goals, but she says that more aid effectiveness is needed. >> i put it to you. it is more aid effectiveness more important than more money? >> aid effectiveness has to be improved, but development is not only about aid. in order to fight hunger and poverty effectively, our trade, our agriculture, our climate policy have to be in line with the development objectives. we all know 0.6% of the world's -- we all know 60% of the world's poor depend on agriculture. the cannot dippy very often with our highly subsidized products

-- they cannot compete very often with our highly subsidized products. we need to alter our agricultural policy to avoid that thousands of small farmers -- their livelihood is being destroyed by our policy. >> still, money is very important for reaching these millennium goals, but the financial crisis has hit many rich economies very hard. doesn't that mean there is less money available for development aid? >> oh well, the financial downturn as well as climate change is the responsibility of the rich countries. therefore, the poorest countries, who are the real victims of these be supported by us by putting additional budget there in order to help them to deal with the consequences, and not to cut the budget. >> very briefly, what has been achieved during the last 10 years in trying to reach those

millennium goals? >> we have seen the best successes in countries where the government had sufficient political will to put the millennium development goals very high on their political agenda. when we come of the rich countries, have supported them in order to reach the millennium goals. >> chancellor merkle said in her speech that developing countries need to show greater governance, good governance. is that asking too much of these countries? >> no. it is important. they have to show good governance. the same applies to the rich nations. we have to show good donor governments. that means we have to keep our promises come up because this is also a question of credibility. >> as the coordination of the little man goals here in germany, thank you very much. >> you are welcome.

>> the special u.n. summit is underway in new york, discussing the progress toward achieving that. i am terry martin in berlin. please stay with dw tv.