EUROPEAN UNION AND INTERNATIONAL ISSUES ARE EXPECTED TO DOMINATE TALKS BETWEEN GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL AND SWEDISH PRIME MINISTER GORAN PERSSON LATER FRIDAY, OFFICIALS SAID TO DPA. PERSSON BEGAN HIS ONE-DAY VISIT TO GERMANY BY MEETING WITH REGIONAL LEADERS IN THE NORTHERN GERMAN BALTIC SEA STATE OF MECKLENBURG-WEST POMERANIA. THE SWEDISH LEADER WAS LATER DUE TO TOUR THE HISTORIC OLD CITY IN STRALSUND WITH MERKEL PRIOR TO THEIR FORMAL MEETING. STRALSUND AND MUCH OF THE SURROUNDING REGION WAS A PART OF SWEDEN FROM 1648 TO 1815.