Obama swoops into Prague for EU-US Summit

PRAGUE: Barack Obama flew into Prague on Saturday for a summit with EU leaders, making his first venture behind the erstwhile Iron Curtain on the third leg of his maiden European tour as US president.

Obama will be using his visit to the Czech Republic — current holder of the rotating EU presidency — to deliver a keynote speech on nuclear proliferation, as the world awaits a threatened North Korean missile launch.

Together with Poland, the Czech Republic is to host elements of a nuclear missile defence shield, initiated by Obama’s predecessor George W. Bush, that Russia regards as a threat to its security. Obama — warmly welcomed earlier in Britain, France and Germany — may expect a somewhat cooler reception from his Czech hosts after Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek branded his economic stimulus plans as a “road to hell”.

His energy sapped by a bad cold, Obama planned to have a private evening with his wife Michelle on Saturday following his red-carpet welcome at Prague airport from President Vaclav Klaus.

He was to resume his European charm offensive Sunday in a speech at Prague Castle where he will also be holding talks with both the president and the prime minister. Obama, who flew in from a NATO summit in Strasbourg and neighbouring German cities, was expected to focus much of his speech on nuclear proliferation, according to US officials. In Strasbourg on Friday, Obama said reducing the threat of weapons of mass destruction was among the top two goals of his presidency, along with rescuing the US economy from recession.

Although Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said no serious progress was made at his first talks with Obama in London on Wednesday, some Czechs wonder if warmer ties between Washington and Moscow could see the shield plan dropped.

Sunday, AFP