German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she has spoken with Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi. She says her government wants to speed up the deportation of failed asylum seekers.

The man believed to have carried out the Berlin Christmas market truck attack was a Tunisian whose application for asylum had been rejected. Merkel says Germany will take more measures to improve security.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks during a press conference in Berlin, capital of Germany, on Dec. 23, 2016. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Friday that Germany wanted to increase deportation of failed asylum seekers to ensure better safety in the country. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi)