Manali: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will embark on a week long three-nation tour from May 27, during which he will participate in the G-8 summit of the world's richest nations in France as a special invitee of President Jacques Chirac.

While his programme is still being fine-tuned, Vajpayee will leave on May 27 for Berlin on a bilateral visit. He will have wide-ranging discussions with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and other leaders on a host of bilateral issues, as also exchange views on important regional and international developments.

During the parleys, the Prime Minister is expected to brief them on his recent peace initiatives for improving ties with Pakistan. Germany has been supportive of the steps taken by him to break the Indo- Pak logjam.

The Prime Minister will head for St Petersburg to participate in the 300th years celebrations of the home town of President Vladimir Putin, official sources said.

Though there is no official word as yet about any separate meeting being set up between Vajpayee and US President George W Bush, who will be among the important world leaders attending the centenary celebrations, they will get a chance to interact.

Among those likely to be present at St Petersburg are China's new President Hu Jintao and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

On May 31, Vajpayee will head for the G-8 meeting in Evian-les-Bains, where there will be a second opportunity for interacting with the American President and other leaders within a span of four days.

Germany, France and Russia had opposed the US-led attack on Iraq.

PTI