The search for a location for the planned speech to be given by US Presidential candidate Barack Obama during his Berlin visit is apparently at an end. He will appear on the 24th of July at the Great Star, according to an announcement yesterday evening by senate and government sources. The podium will be built immediately adjacent to the Victory Column.
Obama’s campaign team will officially disclose the location for the speech in Chicago today. A delegation from the Obama team visited several possible locations in Berlin on Wednesday. Previously, the Gendarmenmarkt and the Brandenburg Gate were under consideration.
Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU), however, expressed her objections to the Brandenburg Gate location. Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit (both SPD) were in favor of Obama’s appearance at the symbolically important site.
Deferring to the Chancellor, the Democratic candidate backed away from the disagreement. Obama’s Thursday visit is part of a comprehensive trip through Europe and the Middle East.
The 46 year-old senator from Illinois hopes his speeches and meetings in other countries will bolster his foreign policy image. Until now, he has concentrated mainly on domestic policy issues.
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