US President Obama meets Eastern European leaders

US President Barack Obama met leaders of 11 central and eastern European countries in Prague on Thursday. The meeting, held after the signing of a major nuclear weapons control treaty between the United States and Russia, dealt with these countries’ role in Afghanistan, and reassured the former Soviet satellites that by resetting its relations with Moscow, the United States would not curtail its interest in the region.

Dmitry Medvedev, Václav Klaus, Barack Obama (left to right), photo: CTK

After lunching with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at Prague Castle on Thursday, US President Barack Obama hosted a dinner later that day for the leaders of 11 countries of central and Eastern Europe, including both the Czech president and prime minister, the presidents of Romania, Latvia and Estonia, as well as the prime ministers of Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Lithuania, Slovenia and Croatia.

President Barack Obama, who invited his guests to the residence of the American ambassador in Prague, briefly mentioned the missile defence project and its role within NATO. But the main focus, according to Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer, was these countries’ participation in NATO operations in Afghanistan.

Jan Fischer, Barack Obama, photo: CTK

“The main issue discussed was not only the need to reinforce military participation in Afghanistan, but primarily the need to develop training programmes for the local security forces, and how important it is to establish good communication among the countries who take part either in military operations there or supply economic aid, and how important it is to communicate well with the locals.”

Some in the former Eastern block states are concerned that Mr Obama’s policy of engaging Russia in closer cooperation could result in the diminishing of American interests in the region. But Mr Fischer said no such concerns were openly voiced over dinner; several politicians however stressed that US-Russian relations should be transparent.

“There was a general interest from many corners of the table in the transparency of relations with Russia. They should be effective and we should inform one another about them, which was something President Obama agreed with. There were no concerns voiced about the reset; quite the opposite. But the process should be transparent, it should respect the interests of the region; and Mr Obama had no problem with it.”

Barack Obama, Václav Klaus, photo: CTK

The dinner was held at the residence of the US ambassador to the Czech Republic, a post that has been vacant since Richard Graber, who was appointed by the Bush administration, left in January 2009. But US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was a member of Barack Obama’s delegation to Prague, promised the Czech foreign minister that the position would soon be filled.

US President Barack Obama briefly met with Czech President Václav Klaus and Prime Minister Jan Fischer on Friday morning before leaving the country.