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Germany wants military co-op

STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Germany is eager to strengthen ties with Bangladesh and increase cooperation to the benefit of the two countries.
"We already have excellent relations and cooperation^We want to further increase bilateral collaboration in all fields, including the military to military cooperation," German Ambassador in Dhaka Dietrich Andreas said.
The envoy was speaking at a press conference in connection with the three-day visit of a high-powered armed forces delegation from Germany that began yesterday.
Vice Chief of the Armed Forces of Germany (deputy chief of the joint command of the three forces) Lt. General Drik Boecker leads the three-member delegation. FROM PAGE 12
Gen. Boecker was scheduled to speak at the press conference held at Hotel Sonargaon but he could not due to revised programmes, the ambassador regretted.
Andreas said the visit is taking place against the backdrop of a longstanding training cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries and a shared commitment to the peacekeeping operations of the UN. The German defence team has come to Bangladesh to establish direct personal contacts to get a firsthand impression about the nation, he added.
"The Armed Forces of Bangladesh have drawn the attention of the Armed Forces of Germany through its contribution to the peacekeeping operations of the UN in different parts of the world. Bangladesh forces have achieved a very good reputation," the ambassador said.
Asked if there is any specific agenda of this visit, Andreas said it is purely a bilateral visit and that no agreement would be signed during the visit.
In reply to another query, he said there is no link between Bangladesh Foreign Minister M. Morshed Khan's scheduled visit to Germany early next
month and the current visit of Gen. Boecker.
"There may be questions whether Germany is eager to sell arms to Bangladesh and has for this arranged the visit, but I would like to say there is no such intention of my government. It is completely a bilateral trip aimed to establish closer cooperation between the two armies," the envoy said.
During his visit, Gen. Boecker will call on Commander-in- Chief of Bangladesh Armed Forces President Iajuddin Ahmed, Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury, Chief of Air Staff Air Vice Marshal Fakhrul Azam, Chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral Shah Iqbal Mujtaba, Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Major Gen AM Mahmuduzzaman and Defence Secretary KM Ehsanul Haque, Andreas said.
Boecker will also give a lecture on "Current Aspects of a European Security Policy" at the Bangladesh Institute of International Strategic Studies (BIISS) tomorrow morning.
Deputy Head of Mission Hermann Nicoloi and Press and Political Officer Mujtoba Ahmed Murshed were present on the occasion.