Germany reacts to Trump's refugee ban

By Erbil Basay

BERLIN (AA) - The German government has reacted Sunday to the U.S. President Donald Trump's refugee ban decision.

Trump signed an executive action Friday that effectively denies entry to refugees from seven "terror-prone" Muslim-majority countries, including those with green cards, who otherwise have permanent residence in the U.S.

Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said that the German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed her sadness on the refugee ban during a phone conversation with Trump on Saturday.

The statement came after Trump signed an executive order to temporarily ban travelers from seven countries, including Iran, into the U.S.

Seibert said Merkel believed that the resolute fight against terrorism didn't justify putting people who have particular origin or faith under general suspicion.

"The federal government will examine what consequences of the measure of the U.S. government for German nationals who have dual citizenship would be, and if necessary defend their interests before our U.S. counterparts," he said.

The spokesman added that, according to the Geneva Refugee Convention, the international community should take refugees from a war on humanitarian grounds and all the countries who signed it should abide by the convention.

Trump signed an executive order temporarily banning travelers from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

On Saturday, Tehran also banned Americans from entering Iran as a response to U.S. President Donald Trump's latest ban on the entry of citizens from seven countries.

The British Press Association also said Prime Minister Theresa May “does not agree” with U.S. President Donald Trump's refugee ban and will make representations if it hits Britons.