German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle left Berlin on Saturday on an eight-day, five-nation trip to the Mideast and Asia to boost Berlin's political and economic ties in the region, dpa reported
On what is the minister's longest foreign tour to date, Westerwelle will be visiting Oman, India, Australia, New Zealand and Vietnam before returning to Berlin a week from Sunday.
In Oman, Westerwelle will be meeting Sultan Qabus bin Said, with the talks expected to focus on regional developments, especially events in neighbouring Yemen.
Arriving in New Delhi on Sunday, he will help prepare for the first joint India-Germany government consultations to be attended by Chancellor Angela Merkel later in the week.
Prior to his departure Saturday, Westerwelle said India had become a "worldwide authority" with "enormous economic opportunities."
Regarding Australia, he said the two countries shared a "partnership of values." The foreign minister will first visit Sydney on Tuesday to open the CeBit computer trade fair, modelled on the German fair of the same name held annually in Hanover.
Westerwelle is also to meet with Australian government officials in the capital Canberra. The last German foreign minister to visit Australia was Joschka Fischer in 2005.
After Australia, Westerwelle heads for a one-day visit to New Zealand, which has been invited as partner country to the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2012.
On the return leg of his eight-day tour, Westerwelle will stop over in Vietnam, which last year celebrated 35 years of diplomatic ties with Germany.
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