<br>        Inclusion Criteria:<br><br>          -  Male or female patients between 30 and 80 years old, inclusive<br><br>          -  Controlled type 2 Diabetes Mellitus on stable treatment at least during the 4 weeks<br>             prior to visit 1<br><br>          -  Treated or untreated stage 1 (according to JNC VII Guidelines) or grade 1 (according<br>             to ESH/ESC 2003 Guidelines) hypertensive patients<br><br>          -  For one stratum: angiographically proven CAD<br><br>          -  Signed informed consent prior to any study procedure<br><br>        Exclusion Criteria:<br><br>          -  Hypertension classified as stage 2 (or grade 2) or higher<br><br>          -  Normotensive patients, i.e. patients who do not have a history of high blood<br>             pressure, and who are not receiving any antihypertensive medication<br><br>          -  Treatment with more than 2 antihypertensive medications<br><br>          -  Current treatment with ARBs<br><br>          -  Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) >8.5% at Visit 1<br><br>          -  Current treatment with glitazones<br><br>          -  Myocardial infarction less than 3 months prior to Visit 1<br><br>          -  Total cholesterol >7.8 mmol/l<br><br>          -  Past diagnosis of any systemic inflammatory disease<br><br>          -  Known or suspected contraindications, including history of allergy to angiotensin<br>             receptor blockers<br><br>          -  History of hypertensive encephalopathy or cerebrovascular accident less than 1 year<br>             prior to Visit 1<br><br>          -  Known Keith-Wagener grade III or IV hypertensive retinopathy<br><br>          -  History of heart failure<br><br>          -  Second or third degree heart block without a pacemaker<br><br>          -  Concomitant unstable angina pectoris<br><br>          -  Concurrent potential life threatening arrhythmia or symptomatic arrhythmia<br><br>          -  Clinically significant valvular heart disease<br><br>          -  Evidence of hepatic disease as determined by any one of the following: ALT or AST<br>             values > 2 x ULN at Visit 1, a history hepatic encephalopathy, a history of<br>             esophageal varices, or a history of portocaval shunt<br><br>          -  Evidence of renal impairment as determined by any one of the following: serum<br>             creatinine >1.25 x ULN at visit 1, a history of dialysis, or a history of nephritic<br>             syndrome<br><br>          -  Sodium value <132 mmol/L at Visit 1<br><br>          -  Serum potassium values <3.5 mmol/L or >5.5 mmol/L at visit 1<br><br>          -  Any surgical or medical condition which might alter the absorption, distribution,<br>             metabolism, excretion of any drug<br><br>          -  Female patients who are not either post-menopausal for one year of surgically<br>             sterile, and who are not using effective contraceptive methods such as barrier method<br>             with spermicidal or an intra-uterine device. Oral contraceptive use or dermal<br>             implants as the only means of contraception are disallowed<br><br>          -  Pregnant or lactating females<br><br>          -  Any surgical or medical condition which, at the discretion of the investigator, place<br>             the patient at higher risk from his/her participation in the study, or are likely to<br>             prevent the patients from complying with the requirements of the study or completing<br>             the trial period<br><br>          -  History of malignancy including leukemia and lymphoma within 5 years prior to Visit 1<br><br>          -  History of any severe, life threatening disease within the past five years<br><br>          -  Any previous history of a systemic autoimmune disease<br><br>          -  History of drug or alcohol abuse within the last two years<br><br>          -  Participation in any investigational drug trial within one month prior to visit 1<br>