OSLO (AFP) –
A majority of Norwegians consider "impolite" US President Barack Obama's decision to snub parts of the official Nobel Peace Prize programme in Oslo this week, a poll showed on Wednesday.

Obama, who will formally receive the award at a ceremony at Oslo's City Hall on Thursday, will limit his attendance at the normally-scheduled events to a strict minimum.

Faced with two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the fallout of the economic crisis, the US leader has declined the traditional lunch with the king of Norway, and, unlike previous laureates, will not hold a press conference nor attend the Nobel concert held in his honour the day after the prize ceremony.

According to a poll conducted by the InFact institute and published in daily Verdens Gang (VG), 44 percent of 1,000 people surveyed said it was "impolite" of Obama to not lunch with the king, while 34 percent said it was okay.

More than half, 53 percent, said it was "impolite" not to attend the Nobel concert, while 27 percent disagreed.

Obama is due to arrive in Oslo on Thursday morning and will leave Friday morning, staying in the Norwegian capital less than 24 hours. The official Nobel programme is usually spread out over three days.

"A coolly and strategically calculated evaluation of 'realpolitik' lies behind this decision," a public relations expert, Kjell Terje Ringdal, told VG.

"It's a smart move, since he wants to keep a low profile and he wants to avoid the (Nobel) medal shining too bright," he added.

Obama will receive the prize nine days after deciding to step up the military offensive in Afghanistan by sending 30,000 additional troops.