Milestone visit begins today

(WAM)   

Sheikh Mohammed, accompanied by a high-level delegation, will be the official guest of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Germany’s ambassador to the UAE yesterday hailed his country’s relations with the UAE and said the trip would be a milestone.

Klaus-Peter Brandes said Sheikh Mohammed, making his first journey to Germany since becoming Vice-President, would meet Merkel and other leaders including Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

“The visit will be a very significant and important milestone in our bilateral relations,” he told Emirates Buisness. “It will give further momentum to the strengthening of our bilateral relations and will be a major contribution to their further consolidation.

“Relations between the UAE and Germany are excellent. The countries signed a strategic partnership in April 2004 and since then we have witnessed ever increasing cooperation in all areas.”

Brandes said the planned GCC-EU free trade agreement would further enhance co-operation between the two sides and between the UAE and Germany.

“Once the agreement is signed member states of both organisations will move closer together, thus creating an even better environment for the further enhancement of the existing well-established economic relations.

“The UAE, for example, has for some years been Germany’s most important trading partner in the whole Arab world.”