President Obama arrives in Prague on Saturday on the last leg of his European odyssey in order to participate in an EU-USA summit. The Agenda of his visit is here, it includes lots of the usual formal meetings with the Czech Prime-Minister Topolanek and Czech President Klaus. However as the New York Times reports, the Obamas will forego the usual State Dinner on Saturday evening and will instead share a romantic dinner in Prague, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.
As well as the obious benefits for their marriage and well-being, there are probably 2 political reasons. Prime-Minister Topolanek was voted out of office last week giving the anti-EU President Klaus a lot more say in dictating European policy, there are worries about what the eratic Klaus might say to Obama. Anohter reason is that the day after being ousted, Topolanek was also quoted in the European Parliament as saying the US style stimulus spending was the “road to hell”, a comment that would not endeer him ot Obama. One political scientist has suggested another reason: “Obama’s goal is … to have a picture taken with (former Czech president and anti-Communist resistance icon) Vaclav Havel”, Obama will meet Havel later that day. He is much more interested n the Czech leaders of the past tahn the current rag-tag bunch.
The highlight of the Agenda, besides the EU-USA summit, is the Public speech Obama will deliver on Sunday morning on the topic of “a world without nuclear weapons”. In his speech in London he admitted that the US had often failed to appreciate “Europe’s leading role in the world” but he also pointed out the insidious anti-US feeling that exists in Europe. He challenged Europe by sayng “America is changing, but it cannot be America alone that changes.” It will be interesting to see what challenges Obama will pose for the world in his speech on Sunday.
Obamas to dine in one of Europe’s most beautiful cities
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