'Humbled' Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize
Fri Oct 9 23:58:44 EST 2009
Fri Oct 9 12:58:44 UTC 2009
by Gwladys Fouche
OSLO, Oct 9 AFP - US President Barack Obama has sensationally won the Nobel Peace Prize, just nine months into his term, with the jury hailing his "extraordinary" efforts in international diplomacy and to hasten nuclear disarmament.
Obama said he was "humbled" by the distinction but criticism built over how the award could be given so quickly.
"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future," the Nobel jury said in making the stunning announcement on Friday.
The committee attached "special importance to Obama's vision and work for a world without nuclear weapons" and said he had created "a new climate in international politics."
Obama, 48, took office on January 20 and has sought to restore US standing after widespread criticism over the war in Iraq and the world superpower's attitude to efforts to control global warming.
The first black American president has brought the Israeli and Palestinian leaders together for a meeting, approved new diplomatic engagement with Iran, Myanmar and North Korea and signalled a new willingness to attack growing environmental problems.
Obama went to Cairo to make a major speech on relations with the Muslim world, badly tarnished by President George W. Bush's order to invade Iraq. At the United Nations, he has launched an initiative to reduce the number of nuclear weapons.
The US president was awoken at 6am at the White House by his spokesman to be told of the award. An administration official quoted Obama as saying he felt "humbled".
Obama was honoured "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples," the head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee Thorbjoern Jagland said.
"We had no problem... It was a unanimous decision," he said.
The jury said: "Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts. The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations," it said.
"Thanks to Obama's initiative, the US is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic changes the world is confronting."
The committee said it was seeking to encourage Obama's ideals rather than recognise concrete results.
Speaking to AFP, Jagland said: "It was unavoidable to give the prize to the man who has improved the international climate and emphasised negotiations and dialogue."
"Before he took office the situation was so dangerous. Step by step he has given the message to the world that he wants to negotiate on all conflicts, strengthen the United Nations and work for a world without any nuclear arms."
Poland's anti-communist leader Lech Walesa, who won the 1983 Nobel Peace Prize, said it was too early to reward Obama now.
"Who, Obama? So fast? Too fast - he hasn't had the time to do anything yet," Walesa told reporters in Warsaw.
"For the time being Obama's just making proposals. But sometimes the Nobel committee awards the prize to encourage responsible action."
In Afghanistan, Taliban militia spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the prize. "We have seen no change in his strategy for peace. He has done nothing for peace in Afghanistan."
"We hope that this gives him the incentive to walk in the path of bringing justice to the world order," a spokesman for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said.
Other world leaders said the distinction should be seen as an encouragement for Obama.
UN's nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei, another past Peace Prize winner, said Obama was the most deserving winner.
"In less than a year in office, he has transformed the way we look at ourselves and the world we live in and rekindled hope for a world at peace with itself," said the outgoing director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
"President Obama has provided outstanding leadership on moving towards a world free of nuclear weapons," he said.
The 2008 Peace Prize winner Martti Ahtisaari, former Finnish president and veteran troubleshooter in international conflicts, said the award should "encourage" Obama's Middle East peace efforts.
"We do not yet have a peace in the Middle East... this time it it was very clear that they wanted to encourage Obama to move on these issues," Ahtisaari told CNN television.
Asked whether it was too early to give Obama the prize, Jagland replied: "If you look at the history of the Peace Prize, we have on many occasions given it to try to enhance what many personalities were trying to do."
"The decision to go to Afghanistan had a unanimous UN mandate. The conflict in Afghanistan concerns us all. This is not only the responsibility of Barack Obama but hopefully this improved international climate could help resolve the conflict," he said.
Obama is the third US president in office to win the award, after Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 and Woodrow Wilson in 1919. Former US president Jimmy Carter won the prize in 2002.
The gold medal, diploma and a cheque for 10 million Swedish kronor (1.42 million dollars, 980,000 euros) will be presented in Oslo on December 10, the anniversary of the death in 1896 of the prize creator, Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel.
