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| Barack Obama wraps up European tour in Poland | |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| US President Barack Obama has wrapped up his six-day European tour in Warsaw, meeting Polish political leaders. | |
| Talks focused on defence and energy issues but Mr Obama was also expected to seek to reassure Poles unhappy at his shelving of his predecessor's missile defence shield. | |
| On Friday Mr Obama laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and visited the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial. | On Friday Mr Obama laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and visited the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial. |
| He also attended a dinner with 20 central and eastern European leaders. | He also attended a dinner with 20 central and eastern European leaders. |
| Shale gas | Shale gas |
| The BBC's Stephen Evans in Warsaw says Polish leaders were hoping Mr Obama would rectify what many saw as a slight, when he cancelled President George W Bush's missile shield plan. | |
| Our correspondent says Polish leaders were disappointed when President Obama decided not to go ahead with the shield on Polish soil, reading it as deference to Russia and as a sign of a lack of commitment to Poland. | Our correspondent says Polish leaders were disappointed when President Obama decided not to go ahead with the shield on Polish soil, reading it as deference to Russia and as a sign of a lack of commitment to Poland. |
| Mr Obama held meetings with President Bronislaw Komorowski and Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Saturday. | |
| The US has announced at least one new initiative on security. | The US has announced at least one new initiative on security. |
| White House national security official, Liz Sherwood Randall, travelling with Mr Obama, said a US air detachment would be set up in Poland. | White House national security official, Liz Sherwood Randall, travelling with Mr Obama, said a US air detachment would be set up in Poland. |
| "It will be a small permanent presence on the ground and then a rotational presence that will be more substantial," she said. | "It will be a small permanent presence on the ground and then a rotational presence that will be more substantial," she said. |
| However, Mr Obama has not granted Poland's desire for a visa waiver for its citizens travelling to the US. | However, Mr Obama has not granted Poland's desire for a visa waiver for its citizens travelling to the US. |
| One key area under discussion will be energy. | One key area under discussion will be energy. |
| Poland has reserves of shale which hold natural gas. | Poland has reserves of shale which hold natural gas. |
| Our correspondent says Germany and Russia do not want those reserves opened up, Germany for environmental reasons and Russia perhaps because it currently exports much gas to the whole region. | Our correspondent says Germany and Russia do not want those reserves opened up, Germany for environmental reasons and Russia perhaps because it currently exports much gas to the whole region. |
| He says the hope in Warsaw is that Mr Obama will support the opening of the shale reserves, ideally with the help of American energy companies. | He says the hope in Warsaw is that Mr Obama will support the opening of the shale reserves, ideally with the help of American energy companies. |
| On Friday evening, Mr Obama told the gathered eastern and central European leaders: "We have taken great inspiration from the blossoming of freedom and economic growth in this region and we're confident that will continue and we want to be a part of that process of strengthening your democracies, strengthening your economies and to be a full partner. | On Friday evening, Mr Obama told the gathered eastern and central European leaders: "We have taken great inspiration from the blossoming of freedom and economic growth in this region and we're confident that will continue and we want to be a part of that process of strengthening your democracies, strengthening your economies and to be a full partner. |
| "I hope that... this [meeting] signifies how important we consider our relationship with central and eastern Europe". | "I hope that... this [meeting] signifies how important we consider our relationship with central and eastern Europe". |
| Earlier in the day, Mr Obama placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Warsaw. | Earlier in the day, Mr Obama placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Warsaw. |
| He also greeted Holocaust survivors at the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes. | He also greeted Holocaust survivors at the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes. |
| Hours before Mr Obama's arrival, Polish headlines were dominated by reports that Solidarity founder Lech Walesa was refusing to meet him. | Hours before Mr Obama's arrival, Polish headlines were dominated by reports that Solidarity founder Lech Walesa was refusing to meet him. |
| Mr Walesa said he feared such a meeting would only be a "photo opportunity", amid reports that he was offended for not being offered a one-on-one meeting with the US president. | Mr Walesa said he feared such a meeting would only be a "photo opportunity", amid reports that he was offended for not being offered a one-on-one meeting with the US president. |
| "I believe one day I will meet with Obama but not this time," Mr Walesa told AFP news agency. | "I believe one day I will meet with Obama but not this time," Mr Walesa told AFP news agency. |
| He wished the US president "very well", then added, "but sometimes things just don't work out". | He wished the US president "very well", then added, "but sometimes things just don't work out". |