16/04/2007 (Agence Europe) - The German federal minister in charge of cooperation, Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, will be in Syria during the first half of this year, according to a press release from his ministry, which also informs that German-Syrian talks in the field of development policy ended on 5 April while the EU-Syria association agreement remains pending. The release also announces that Germany, which currently holds the EU presidency, has decided to give more support to Syria in its transition from a planned economy to a social market economy, with a budget of €70 million. German action should also extend to renewable energies and energy efficiency. Syrians also required German assistance for restructuring their central banking system and for making it independent. (fb)