Germany's Westerwelle lauds Peru as trade partner

Feb 16, 2012, 20:57 GMT

Lima - Germany's Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle visited Peru Thursday, in a Latin American tour that had already taken him to Brazil and that also includes Panama and Mexico.

In Lima, Westerwelle met with Peruvian Foreign Minister Rafael Roncagliolo and was also to hold talks with Peruvian President Ollanta Humala.

Peru is the second stage of an eight-day Latin American tour for Westerwelle, after Brazil. He is to travel to Panama Friday, and to Mexico over the weekend for a meeting of foreign ministers of the Group of 20 (G20) in Los Cabos. Earlier this week, he visited Brasilia, Sao Paulo and Rio.

'Peru is one of those countries that have great potential, particularly in cooperation with Germany,' Westerwelle said upon arrival in Lima.

Germany is Peru's most important trade partner in Europe.

Berlin wants to see as soon as possible the implementation of the free-trade agreement between Peru and the European Union.

Lima is keen to get the European Union to do more in the fight against drug trafficking, since Europe is the largest market for Peruvian cocaine. The Humala government is making efforts to find financially-viable alternatives to growing coca leaves for local farmers.

Read more about Peru