Global Presidents: Barack Obama in Prague
In 2009 newly elected President Barack Obama was somewhat of a political rockstar. His inauguration had drawn record-setting crowds. He began his presidency by following a tradition set by many of his predecessors (though broken by George W. Bush). His first international trip as President was a visit to Canada on February 19, 2009. He arrived in Ottawa on February 19 for his first trip outside the United States as president and met with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Governor-General Michelle Jean, and Leader of the Opposition Michael Ignatieff.
His first major journey abroad began on March 31st when he arrived in London for the start of the G-20 summit meeting. Obama met with Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street, and he took part in a joint press conference with Brown. He also met with the Leader of the Opposition David Cameron at the U.S. Embassy in Grosvenor Square and he also met with Queen Elizabeth II. He remained in London until April 3, when he arrived in Strasbourg, France for the NATO summit meeting. The next day he arrived in Baden-Baden, Germany where the Summit continued.
On April 5, President Obama visited the Czech Republic. At that time this nation held the rotating presidency of the European Council. President Obama met with President Václav Klaus. Perhaps the most publicized event on his tour was a speech he made in Hradčany Square, Prague, in which he spoke about the threat of nuclear weapons in the post–Cold War era. Barack Obama has outlined his vision of a world free of nuclear weapons in a major speech in Europe. In the speech, Obama called for a global summit on nuclear security and the forging of new partnerships to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. He said that he hoped to negotiate a new treaty to end the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons. In the speech, he referred to a rocket launch earlier in the day by the North Koreans, and said that this launch underscored the need for action. He condemned the launch and said "Now is the time for a strong international response." He added, "North Korea must know that the path to security and respect will never come through threats and illegal weapons."
Obama told his audience that, although his nuclear goals might not be reached in his lifetime, he would strive to achieve them. He also said that as long as Iran continued to pose a potential nuclear threat, the US would continue to work on a controversial missile defence shield, parts of which would be stationed in Poland and the Czech Republic.
He spoke to a crowd of about 20,000 people and told the crowd, "The existence of thousands of nuclear weapons is the most dangerous legacy of the Cold War. Today the Cold War has disappeared but thousands of those weapons have not." He pledged to reduce the US nuclear stockpile, and urged other nations to do the same. But he added that as long as a nuclear threat existed, the US would retain its nuclear capability, although it would work to reduce its arsenal. Obama also said that his administration would work to bring the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) into force in order to achieve a global ban on nuclear testing.
President Obama also addressed what he called the most immediate and extreme threat to global security, the possibility of terrorists possessing nuclear weapons. He said "One terrorist with a nuclear weapon could unleash massive destruction." He added, "Al-Qaeda has said it seeks a bomb. And that it would have no problem in using it. And we know that there is unsecured nuclear material across the globe." He pledged a renewed effort to secure sensitive nuclear material within four years and break down the black market in the trade in illicit weapons. He also said he would negotiate a new strategic arms reduction treaty with Russia by the end of the year.
Earlier during the week, Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met at the G20 summit in London and agreed to reopen negotiations about reducing nuclear warheads. Obama's speech also touched on other topics, including the need for a united approach to combat the global financial crisis and on climate change.
Following is an except of the President's speech in Prague:
After leaving Prague, the President traveled to Turkey. He visited Ankara and Istanbul and participated in a wreath laying ceremony at Anitkabir Mausoleum. He also met with President Abdullah Gül and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and delivered a speech to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Obama also met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople of the Orthodox Church in Istanbul. He attended the Alliance of Civilizations forum, a forum sponsored by Turkey and Spain to promote understanding between the Western and Islamic worlds, and he visited the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque and hold a town hall with students at the Tophane Cultural Center.
The last stop on the tour was a surprise visit to Baghdad on April 7. President Obama met with President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. He also visited U.S. soldiers fighting in the Iraq War.
Obama made good on his promise to work with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev worked on a new treaty to reduce and monitor nuclear weapons. A year later, on April 8, 2010, Obama and Medvedev signed the New START treaty, a major nuclear arms control agreement that reduced the nuclear weapons stockpiles of both countries and provided for a monitoring regime. In December 2010, the Senate ratified New START in a 71-26 vote, with 13 Republicans and all Democrats voting in favor of the treaty. US-Russia relations worsened when Vladimir Putin returned to the presidency in Russia. Russia's intervention in Ukraine and annexation of Crimea led to a strong condemnation by Obama and other Western leaders, and to sanctions which contributed to a Russian financial crisis.
His first major journey abroad began on March 31st when he arrived in London for the start of the G-20 summit meeting. Obama met with Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street, and he took part in a joint press conference with Brown. He also met with the Leader of the Opposition David Cameron at the U.S. Embassy in Grosvenor Square and he also met with Queen Elizabeth II. He remained in London until April 3, when he arrived in Strasbourg, France for the NATO summit meeting. The next day he arrived in Baden-Baden, Germany where the Summit continued.
On April 5, President Obama visited the Czech Republic. At that time this nation held the rotating presidency of the European Council. President Obama met with President Václav Klaus. Perhaps the most publicized event on his tour was a speech he made in Hradčany Square, Prague, in which he spoke about the threat of nuclear weapons in the post–Cold War era. Barack Obama has outlined his vision of a world free of nuclear weapons in a major speech in Europe. In the speech, Obama called for a global summit on nuclear security and the forging of new partnerships to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. He said that he hoped to negotiate a new treaty to end the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons. In the speech, he referred to a rocket launch earlier in the day by the North Koreans, and said that this launch underscored the need for action. He condemned the launch and said "Now is the time for a strong international response." He added, "North Korea must know that the path to security and respect will never come through threats and illegal weapons."
Obama told his audience that, although his nuclear goals might not be reached in his lifetime, he would strive to achieve them. He also said that as long as Iran continued to pose a potential nuclear threat, the US would continue to work on a controversial missile defence shield, parts of which would be stationed in Poland and the Czech Republic.
He spoke to a crowd of about 20,000 people and told the crowd, "The existence of thousands of nuclear weapons is the most dangerous legacy of the Cold War. Today the Cold War has disappeared but thousands of those weapons have not." He pledged to reduce the US nuclear stockpile, and urged other nations to do the same. But he added that as long as a nuclear threat existed, the US would retain its nuclear capability, although it would work to reduce its arsenal. Obama also said that his administration would work to bring the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) into force in order to achieve a global ban on nuclear testing.
President Obama also addressed what he called the most immediate and extreme threat to global security, the possibility of terrorists possessing nuclear weapons. He said "One terrorist with a nuclear weapon could unleash massive destruction." He added, "Al-Qaeda has said it seeks a bomb. And that it would have no problem in using it. And we know that there is unsecured nuclear material across the globe." He pledged a renewed effort to secure sensitive nuclear material within four years and break down the black market in the trade in illicit weapons. He also said he would negotiate a new strategic arms reduction treaty with Russia by the end of the year.
Earlier during the week, Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met at the G20 summit in London and agreed to reopen negotiations about reducing nuclear warheads. Obama's speech also touched on other topics, including the need for a united approach to combat the global financial crisis and on climate change.
Following is an except of the President's speech in Prague:
After leaving Prague, the President traveled to Turkey. He visited Ankara and Istanbul and participated in a wreath laying ceremony at Anitkabir Mausoleum. He also met with President Abdullah Gül and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and delivered a speech to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Obama also met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople of the Orthodox Church in Istanbul. He attended the Alliance of Civilizations forum, a forum sponsored by Turkey and Spain to promote understanding between the Western and Islamic worlds, and he visited the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque and hold a town hall with students at the Tophane Cultural Center.
The last stop on the tour was a surprise visit to Baghdad on April 7. President Obama met with President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. He also visited U.S. soldiers fighting in the Iraq War.
Obama made good on his promise to work with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev worked on a new treaty to reduce and monitor nuclear weapons. A year later, on April 8, 2010, Obama and Medvedev signed the New START treaty, a major nuclear arms control agreement that reduced the nuclear weapons stockpiles of both countries and provided for a monitoring regime. In December 2010, the Senate ratified New START in a 71-26 vote, with 13 Republicans and all Democrats voting in favor of the treaty. US-Russia relations worsened when Vladimir Putin returned to the presidency in Russia. Russia's intervention in Ukraine and annexation of Crimea led to a strong condemnation by Obama and other Western leaders, and to sanctions which contributed to a Russian financial crisis.