All EU leaders invited to Berlin Wall celebrations: Merkel
(BERLIN) - Germany has invited all European Union leaders to attend ceremonies in November to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday.
Speaking to reporters after an informal EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, Merkel said: "I invited all colleagues from the European Union to take part in our celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the Wall falling on November 9."
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and French President Nicolas Sarkozy are among those expected in Berlin for the festivities, set to climax in a "freedom party" at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.
The Soviet leader at the time, Mikhail Gorbachev, will also take part, as well as former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan.
One world leader not likely to attend is US President Barack Obama, who will be in Asia for a summit. The United States will likely instead be represented by former president Bill Clinton.
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