Ambassador visits Rotary:

Europe and the United States must work together when facing global issues such as climate change, the proliferation of nuclear weapons and a far-reaching financial crisis, Germany's ambassador to the U.S. told the Rotary Club of Birmingham Wednesday.

Klaus Scharioth, on his first visit to Alabama, said Europeans and Americans share common values, as well as a common stake in world financial matters, which is why the bond between the two are crucial. Thirty-five percent of all world trade is generated by America and the European Union, he added.

"The relationship between Europe and America is what drives this world's economy," Scharioth said.

During the ambassador's visit to Alabama, he was scheduled to visit German companies' operations in the state, including the Mercedes-Benz auto factory in Vance and the ThyssenKrupp steel mill that is under construction north of Mobile. Dawn Kent --