Berlin - German Preident Horst Koehler began a one-week official tour to Asia on Tuesday, with a visit to the central Asian country of Kazakhstan for two days.

The president's trip is also to take him to Mongolia and through China, where he will take part in the opening of the Paralympics, the Olympic games for athletes with disabilities.

Talks with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev are to begin Wednesday in the capital Astana. (dpa)