WASHINGTON (AFP) — The White House Friday refused to comment on reports it told top German officials it opposed the idea of Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama giving a speech at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.
"I'm not going to comment on any conversations," said White House press secretary Dana Perino.
"We have no view on the locations of candidates' speeches or events. Our position is that the candidates have to make their own decisions."
German media reports this week suggested that a Bush administration official took a German official to task at the G8 summit in Japan over reports the Illinois Senator was mulling the use of the Gate as a backdrop for his visit.
The office of German Chancellor Angela Merkel earlier denied she had been put under pressure by the White House over the itinerary of Obama's visit on July 24 and said she was delighted that he was coming to Germany.
The Obama campaign has never confirmed that the senator was seeking to speak at the Brandenburg Gate, a potent political symbol which hosted legendary Cold War visits by ex-presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.
But the prospect of such a showpiece sparked a political wrangle in Germany, where Obama's bid to beat Republican John McCain and become America's first black president, is being closely watched.
The German government said earlier it hoped to find "a good solution" to the controversy.
"The details of his progam have not been completed. We are in direct contact and we hope to reach a consensual and good solution that serves the interests of all parties," spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said.
Merkel this week termed as "a bit odd" the idea that Obama, a mere presidential candidate, would speak at the Berlin landmark.
Her spokesman said she had "limited understanding" for the request, adding: "It is unusual to do electioneering abroad."
The power to grant Obama permission to hold a speech at the 18th century Brandenburg Gate lies not with Merkel but with the left-leaning local government authorities in Berlin.
The capital's mayor has signalled that he would be happy to consent, but said ultimately it was up to the candidate to decide what was "in good taste."
"The chancellor and the foreign minister look forward to the visit by Senator Obama ...and the opportunity to talk about the transatlantic relationship and other important matters," said Wilhelm.
Obama is expected to visit Germany, France, Britain, Israel and Jordan before the end of this month, but his itinerary has yet to be released.
He is also due to travel in the next month or so to Iraq and Afghanistan, though details have not been made public for security reasons.
The Brandenburg Gate has become the most famous symbol of Germany's 1990 unification after the fall of the Berlin Wall the year before.
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