W. Berlin Mayor Sees New Hope for Games

The political changes in East Germany have rekindled the idea of East and West Berlin jointly hosting the 2004 Olympic Games, according to West Berlin Mayor Walter Momper.

Momper, meeting with sportswriters, said he will discuss the Berlin Olympics proposal when he visits East Berlin to meet East Germany’s new state and party leader, Egon Krenz. No date has been set for the visit.

Momper added that he sees no chance for an alternative proposal by ousted East German leader Erich Honecker that the Games be staged in the East German city of Leipzig.

He said he believes that the leadership change in East Germany is a hopeful sign.

“The biggest barrier for the joint games is the (Berlin) Wall. Many people say it will have to be gone,” Momper said. “Of course, this is the case, but the way matters now stand, the new East German travel laws are already expected to be passed before Christmas.”

He added that a test case for the Olympics could be the German Catholics Congress to be held in West Berlin next year, which many East Germans are expected to attend.

“That will certainly have repercussions when we have half of East Germany as our guests,” Momper said.

“From their point of view, the real reason for going along with the 2004 Olympics idea is the opportunity it presents to upgrade East Germany and East Berlin in its function as its capital,” Momper said.

The Western side also sees political advantages. “Keeping warm” the Olympic idea is seen as a way to keep “pushing German-German relations forward,” Momper said.