BERLIN, July 18, SPA -- Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman saysthe German leader will welcome U.S. presidential hopefulBarack Obama to her office in Berlin next Thursday. Spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm says the meeting at thechancellery is expected to take place on Thursday morning. Obama's stop in Berlin is part of a tour of the MiddleEast and Europe aimed at burnishing the Democraticcandidate's foreign policy credentials. Obama also is expected to deliver a speech in Berlin, the Associated Press reported. --SPA www.spa.gov.sa/574753