By DPA
Berlin : German Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung began a three-nation tour of Asia Saturday, taking in Singapore, India and Pakistan, the defence ministry said.
The minister will be discussing security issues, military affairs and arms sales with defence and external relations ministers of the three countries, the announcement said.
Jung will first visit Singapore where he will confer with his counterpart Teo Chee Hean and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. He will also attend the Shangri-La Dialogue regional security conference.
Defence ministers from Singapore, India, Japan, South Korea and Australia will be among those taking part in the meeting that runs until Sunday.
Jung is due to travel to India Monday where he will underscore the role of the subcontinent as an important stability factor the in the region during talks with Defence Minister A.K. Antony and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, the statement said.
International efforts to bring stability to Afghanistan are expected to figure prominently in talks in Pakistan, the last stage of Jung's tour before retuning to Germany.
In addition to meeting Defence Minister Rao Sikander and Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, talks are also planned with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.