Addis Ababa — An eight -member delegation of the Parliamentary Friendship Group for Eastern Africa in the German Bundestag is scheduled for a three days visit to Ethiopia from March 19 to March 21st, 200,. the German Embassy here announced Tuesday.

The aim of the visit by the delegation headed by the group's chairperson Mr. Patrick MEINHARDT, M,P was to further contribute to closer Ethio-German relations in the Ethiopian Millennium Year, the embassy said in a statement.

The embassy mentioned in the statement that their stay in Addis Ababa coincided with the official visit to Germany of FDRE President Girma Wolde-Giorgis, whom they will meet after his return.

The German parliamentarians will also meet with Higher government officials including Prime Minister Meles Zenewi.

The team was also expected to meet Teshome Toga, Speaker of the House of Peoples' Representatives and Ato Degife Bula, Speaker of the House of Federation.

A visit to Nazret (Adama) is planned in order to get an insight into projects of Ethio-German cooperation. Contacts with the African Union are also envisaged, the statement added.

Meinhardt, who is member of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) will be joined by seven eminent members of Parliament representing all political parties currently in the German Bundestag