German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday stepped up her criticism of a US travel ban slapped on travelers from seven countries, saying it smacked of anti-Muslim bias. 


"The essential and also resolute fight against terrorism in no way justifies general suspicion against people of a specific faith, in this case people of the Muslim faith or people of a certain background," she told reporters in unprompted remarks about measures enacted by US President Donald Trump. 


"This approach in my view contradicts the basic tenets of international aid to refugees and international cooperation," she said ahead of talks with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. 


Merkel said her office and the German foreign ministry would do "everything in their power" to clarify the legal situation "in particular for those with dual citizenship" of Germany and the blacklisted countries

Source: NNA