German FM due June 23
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle will arrive in Dhaka on June 23 on his first official visit to Bangladesh at the invitation of Foreign Minister Dipu Moni. During his two-day visit, Westerwelle will hold talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Dipu Moni, Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia and civil society representatives. He is also expected to address a press conference on the outcome of his visit. Westerwelle will arrive in Dhaka following his visit to India and is expected to leave on the morning of June 24. Westerwelle, a member of the Bundestag (the German Parliament) since 1996, was also deputy chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany for three years. Though the visit would be brief, foreign ministry officials have attached importance to this as Germany is considered to be one of the most valued development partners of Bangladesh. German Ambassador Holger Michael told The Daily Star that the two countries have shared 40 years of strong diplomatic ties. He said Germany will continue to cooperate and support Bangladesh so that it becomes a middle income country and meets the Millennium Development Goals. Last year German President Christian Wulff came to Dhaka on November 28, on a 3-day official visit while Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Dirk Niebel came to Dhaka last June. Likewise, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also visited Berlin in October 2011 while Dipu Moni visited Germany twice in 2011 and 2012.
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