Angela Merkel 'had to explain' the Geneva Convention to Donald Trump

President Donald Trump speaks on the phone with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

President Donald Trump, accompanied by Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, second from right, and White House Senior Advisor Steve Bannon, right, speaks on the phone with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

U.S. President Donald Trump (L), joined by White House senior advisor Steve Bannon (2nd R) and Chief of Staff Reince Priebus (R), speaks by phone with Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S. January 28, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks by phone with Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S. January 28, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

President Donald Trump speaks on the phone with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

President Donald Trump, accompanied by Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, second from right, and White House Senior Advisor Steve Bannon, right, speaks on the phone with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

U.S. President Donald Trump (L), joined by White House senior advisor Steve Bannon (2nd R) and Chief of Staff Reince Priebus (R), speaks by phone with Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S. January 28, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks by phone with Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S. January 28, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

President Donald Trump speaks on the phone with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Shehab Khan

January 30 2017 12:01 PM

Angela Merkel seemingly had to explain the Geneva refugee convention to Donald Trump during a phone call.

Mr Trump has signed an executive order to ban immigration from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen for 120 days and the German Chancellor said she “regrets” the move.

The German Government also said it would examine the effect the ban would have on its citizens with dual citizenship and present the case to Mr Trump’s team.

“The chancellor regrets the US government’s entry ban against refugees and the citizens of certain countries,” Ms Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a statement.

“She is convinced that the necessary, decisive battle against terrorism does not justify a general suspicion against people of a certain origin or a certain religion.

“The Geneva refugee convention requires the international community to take in war refugees on humanitarian grounds. All signatory states are obligated to do. The German government explained this policy in their call yesterday,” he added.

Mr Seibert also said that Ms Merkel "is convinced that even the necessary, resolute fight against terrorism doesn't justify putting people of a particular origin or particular faith under general suspicion," German news agency DPA reported.

A summary of the 45-minute phone call between the two world leaders was issued to the press but did not mention the travel ban.

There was however an emphasis on the importance of Nato and the intention to “further deepen the already excellent bilateral relations in the coming years”.

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