Global Security Newswire

U.S. President Barack Obama's "vision of a world free from nuclear arms" played a key role in securing his place as the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, said the panel that awarded him the honor today (see GSN, Sept. 23).

"The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 is to be awarded to President Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples," the group said in a statement.

"The committee has attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons," the statement continues. "The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations" (Norwegian Nobel Committee release, Oct. 9).

The Obama administration has sought to secure nuclear-arsenal reductions with Russia and to promote ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, among other initiatives intended to lead the word toward nuclear disarmament.

Obama said he felt undeserving of being placed among the "transformative figures" who have received the prize in the past, Reuters reported.

"I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments but rather an affirmation of American leadership," he said outside the White House. "I will accept this award as a call to action" (Spetalnick/Moskwa, Reuters I, Oct. 9).

The Nobel committee's announcement was welcomed by International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei, who joined his organization in receiving the award four years ago (see GSN, Dec. 12, 2005).

"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," the Associated Press quoted ElBaradei as saying. "He has shown an unshakable commitment to diplomacy, mutual respect and dialogue as the best means of resolving conflicts. He has reached out across divides and made clear that he sees the world as one human family, regardless of religion, race or ethnicity" (Gregory Katz, Associated Press/Google News, Oct. 9).

Others said it was too soon to award Obama the peace prize, as the early months of his presidency have seen limited progress in addressing the war in Afghanistan, the nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea and other major challenges, Reuters reported (Spetalnick/Moskwa, Reuters I).

A spokesman for the Taliban in Afghanistan also expressed little enthusiasm for the award, according to Reuters.

"The Nobel prize for peace? Obama should have won the 'Nobel Prize for escalating violence and killing civilians,'" Zabihullah Mujahid said in a telephone interview (Reuters II, Oct. 9).