Obama defends EU-US trade deal on Germany visit

US President Barack Obama delivered a strong defense of international trade deals Sunday in the face of domestic and foreign opposition, saying it's "indisputable" that such agreements strengthen the economy.

Obama, on a farewell visit to Germany as president, is trying to counter public skepticism about a trans-Atlantic trade deal with Europe, while also facing down criticism from the 2016 presidential candidates of a pending Asia-Pacific trade pact.

Despite all that, Obama said, "the majority of people still favor trade. They still recognize, on balance, that it's a good idea."

"It is indisputable that it has made our economy stronger," Obama said about international trade. He said he was confident the trans-Atlantic trade deal could be completed by the end of year, to be presented for ratification. And he said that once the U.S. presidential primary season is over and politics settle down, the trans-Pacific pact can "start moving forward."

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Obama, at a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, made a strong public show of support for her handling of the migrant issue, saying she was "on the right side of history on this."

Her decision to allow the resettlement in Germany of thousands fleeing violence in Syria and other Mideast conflict zones has created an angry domestic backlash. Merkel recently helped European countries reach a deal with Turkey to ease the flow, but she and the other leaders are now under pressure to revisit it.

Obama said Merkel was "giving voice to the kinds of principles that bring people together rather than divide them," and credited her with taking on some tough politics.

But the president reiterated U.S. opposition to the idea of establishing a "safe zone" in Syrian territory, saying it would difficult to put in place.

"As a practical matter, sadly, it is very difficult to see how it would operate short of us essentially being willing to militarily take over a chunk of that country," he said.

Merkel, in contrast, has endorsed the notion of creating areas that could provide safe haven for the thousands of migrants fleeing the violence, and said such zones would improve access to humanitarian aid. She insisted the proposal would not require outside intervention, saying safe areas should be part of the Geneva peace negotiations that involve the Syrian government and moderate opposition groups.

Obama, looking to project a united front with a leader he referred to as his "trusted partner," said making safe zones controlled by moderate opposition part of the peace talks shows that "here there's no space between us."

Obama spoke after Merkel rolled out the red carpet for him at Hannover's Herrenhausen Palace, a rebuilt version of the former summer royal residence destroyed in World War II. After reviewing German troops in a palace garden, they climbed a spiral staircase and stepped inside for private talks.