New Delhi: German President Johannes Rau will pay a five-day visit to India from March 2 and his deliberations with Indian leadership are expected to include Iraq crisis, besides the bilateral ties.

Rau will hold talks with President A P J Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha, besides attending some business functions during his stay in Delhi, German Ambassador Heimo Richter said while briefing reporters on the visit.

Pointing out that India and Germany shared views on the Iraq crisis – that peace be given a chance and any action be taken with the mandate of the UN – he said as the "risk of war" exists, the issue may come up for discussion depending upon the leaders of the two countries.

Richter said both India and Germany favoured elimination of weapons of mass destruction, but the two countries differed with some other nations over the approach.

"It is the disposition of the United Nations," he said, adding "there is still chance to reach the desired aim. So efforts should be made in this direction."

On the bilateral issues, he said though no agenda had been fixed, the two countries had been having a strategic dialogue regularly.

PTI