p gen ▁– ▁together ▁with ▁the ▁Federal ▁Minister ▁of ▁Transport ▁Matth ias ▁W iss mann ▁and ▁the ▁Minister - Pres ident ▁of ▁Brandenburg ▁Man fred ▁St ol pe ▁– ▁committed ▁to ▁Sch ö ne feld ▁as ▁the ▁site ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁Berlin ▁Brandenburg ▁Airport ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁This ▁so - called ▁cons ensus ▁decision ▁was ▁later ▁aff ir med ▁by ▁the ▁respective ▁state ▁legisl atures . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁news ▁media ▁first ▁reported ▁about ▁a ▁dispute ▁between ▁Die p gen ▁and ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Department ▁of ▁State ▁over ▁American ▁dem ands ▁for ▁special ▁security ▁treatment ▁for ▁its ▁new ▁Berlin ▁emb ass y ▁not ▁sought ▁by ▁other ▁countries ▁that ▁had ▁built ▁emb ass ies ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁area , ▁including ▁Britain ▁and ▁France . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁emb ass y ▁was ▁delayed ▁over ▁several ▁years ▁by ▁a ▁dispute ▁over ▁how ▁large ▁a ▁buffer ▁zone ▁it ▁requires ▁for ▁security . ▁ ▁Am id ▁the ▁revel ations ▁of ▁the ▁CD U ▁don ations ▁sc andal ▁in ▁early ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁Die p gen ▁opposed ▁Ang ela ▁Mer kel ▁as ▁new ▁chair w oman ▁of ▁the ▁party . ▁ ▁On ▁July ▁ 6 , ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁Die p gen ▁signed ▁a ▁treat y ▁with ▁Mat he us ▁Sh ik ongo , ▁the ▁Mayor ▁of ▁Wind ho ek , ▁on ▁a ▁tw in ▁city ▁partners hip ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁municipal ities