BERLIN, April 23 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel sent condolences to Boris Yeltsin's family, praising the late Russia president as a true friend of Germany.

    "His contribution to the development of relations between our two countries will remain unforgotten," Merkel said in a message of condolences.

    She described Yeltsin as a campaigner for democracy and a leading figure in Russian and international politics and said that Germany will pay its respects to him accordingly.

    Former German chancellor Helmut Kohl called Yeltsin a "great statesman" whose "contribution to Russian-German relations and world peace cannot be underestimated."

    Kohl also described Yeltsin as a personal friend with whom he worked closely together.