German FM Begins Burma Visit

30 April 2012

Germany’s foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, arrived in Rangoon on Sunday and plans to travel to Naypyidaw on Monday, one week after the European Union announced its plans to suspend sanctions on Burma. His visit coincides with one by EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton, who on Saturday inaugurated a diplomatic office for the regional bloc in the country. Germany last week announced a decision to resume full-scale development aid to Burma, which still owes Germany 700 million euro (US $925 million) in unpaid loans. Germany is Burma’s second-largest donor after Japan.