UN's Annan hopes to attend final

BERLIN, June 21 (Reuters) U N Secretary-General Kofi Annan is coming to Germany early next month and hopes to attend the World Cup final in Berlin on July 9, the German government said today.

A German government spokesman said Annan planned to attend the July 11 opening of the United Nations campus in the former West German capital of Bonn with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

''A visit to the final World Cup match is also planned,'' the spokesman said, adding that Annan's schedule was still subject to change.

In New York, UN officials confirmed Annan's desire to attend the World Cup final match.

Annan, 68, was born in Ghana who can still qualify for the second round of the World Cup from Group E. They face the United States in a decisive fixture tomorrow.

REUTERS VJ BST0048