Najib receives full military honours in Berlin

BERLIN, Germany: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was given an official welcoming ceremony with full military honours mounted by Germany’s combined defence forces at the Federal Chancellery here yesterday.

Najib, who is also Finance Minister, arrived in Germany’s capital on Monday for a threeday official visit to Germany on the invitation of its Chancellor, Angela Merkel.

This is his first official visit to the country since taking office in 2009. At the welcoming ceremony, the Prime Minister was accompanied by among others International Trade and Industry Minister, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed; Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities, Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong and Malaysian Ambassador to Germany, Datuk Zulkifli Adnan.

The 15-minute ceremony preceded a bilateral meeting with Merkel, where the two leaders are set to discuss trade and investment issues as well as international terrorism, the Syrian refugee problem and the South China Sea.

It is understood that the Chancellor is also keen to know more on the Global Movement of Moderates ( GMM), which is an initiative to reject all forms of extremism and promote moderation.

A brainchild of Prime Minister Najib, the GMM has gained support and recognition from world leaders as well as international and regional intergovernmental organisations.

Germany, which has a population of 80.6 million is the world’s fourth largest economy. The country’s is also the largest investor in Malaysia from the European Union.

Notable German firms which already have strong presence for decades, include Volkswagen, BMW, BASF, Osram, Mercedes, Audi, Deutsche Bank, Siemens AG, Bosch and Infineon. — Bernama