US president to meet eleven Central and East European leaders in Prague

US President Barack Obama will meet eleven Central and East European leaders when he comes to Prague next Thursday to sign a disarmament treaty with Russia. The US and Russian presidents are expected to sign a landmark deal to slash nuclear warheads that will replace the START I treaty which expired in December.

President Obama is expected to arrive on Thursday morning and head straight for Prague Castle for the signing ceremony and one-on-one talks with his Russian counterpart. A meeting with the Czech president and prime minister is also on the agenda.

In the evening he is to host a dinner for 11 Central and East European leaders. Political analysts say that the main aim of the talks is to reassure the former Soviet-block states that Washington is not selling out their interests in forging closer ties with Moscow.