Barack Obama meets Vaclav Havel

Before leaving the Czech Republic for Turkey on Sunday evening President Obama met with the icon of the Velvet Revolution, the former Czech president Vaclav Havel. Mr. Havel said he had been greatly impressed by Mr. Obama’s speech in Prague. However he warned Mr. Obama against the excessive hopes that were being pinned on him. Mr. Havel said this was a reflection of his own personal experience. The US president said he was aware of the problem and had already started to notice early signs of it.