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As Wars Rage, Nobel Committee Prepares to Announce Peace Prize Nobel Committee Awards Peace Prize to E.U.
(35 minutes later)
OSLO — The Norwegian Nobel Committee prepared to award its 2012 peace prize on Friday, confronting a world in which civil conflict in Syria threatens to spill across the region, the Afghanistan war grinds into a second decade and earlier hopes of a new era of tranquillity in the Middle East have largely evaporated. OSLO — The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded its 2012 peace prize on Friday to the European Union, saying it had contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation across the continent.
With the body wrestling with the most severe financial crisis in its history over the single euro currency, the award surprised some people.
The announcement came against a global backdrop of conflict, with civil war in Syria threatening to spill across the region, the Afghanistan war grinding into a second decade and earlier hopes of a new era of tranquillity in the Middle East largely abandoned.
The peace prize climaxes a week in which Nobel institutions have awarded prizes in science and literature that rank among the world’s most coveted emblems of excellence. The prize for economics is to be awarded on Monday.The peace prize climaxes a week in which Nobel institutions have awarded prizes in science and literature that rank among the world’s most coveted emblems of excellence. The prize for economics is to be awarded on Monday.
With less than an hour to go before the prize was announced, Norwegian television said on its Web site that the winner this year was the 27-nation European Union, held by some to have bound together Europe’s onetime warring nations into one of the biggest trading blocs in the world with aspirations among some nations to create ever closer political integration. There was no official confirmation of the report. Less than an hour before the prize was to be announced, Norwegian television said on its Web site that the winner this year was the 27-nation European Union, held by some to have bound together Europe’s erstwhile warring nations into one of the biggest trading blocs in the world with aspirations among some nations to create ever closer political integration. There was no official confirmation of the report.
The Nobel juries are traditionally reticent about their selections, keeping the names of contenders a closely guarded secret, and the peace prize is no exception. Independent forecasters have been unable to agree on a favorite for the 2012 prize.The Nobel juries are traditionally reticent about their selections, keeping the names of contenders a closely guarded secret, and the peace prize is no exception. Independent forecasters have been unable to agree on a favorite for the 2012 prize.
The deadline for outside nominations was Feb. 1, with Nobel committee members adding their own candidates and closing the list three weeks later. The 231 nominations included 43 organizations.The deadline for outside nominations was Feb. 1, with Nobel committee members adding their own candidates and closing the list three weeks later. The 231 nominations included 43 organizations.
European bookmakers had given the best odds to Gene Sharp, an American political scientist and theorist of nonviolent resistance; and to a Coptic Christian nun in Egypt, Maggie Gobran, who aids children in Cairo’s slums.   European bookmakers had given the best odds to Gene Sharp, an American political scientist and theorist of nonviolent resistance; and to a Coptic Christian nun in Egypt, Maggie Gobran, who aids children in Cairo’s slums.   
But the Russian human rights group Memorial, former President Bill Clinton and Afghan human rights commissioner Sima Samar have been reported to be among the 2012 nominees.    But the Russian human rights group Memorial, former President Bill Clinton and Afghan human rights commissioner Sima Samar had also been reported to be among the 2012 nominees.  Speculation also touched on figures from the Arab Spring, including President Moncef Marzouki of Tunisia and several prominent activist bloggers.
Speculation also touched on figures from the Arab Spring, including President Moncef Marzouki of Tunisia and several prominent activist bloggers.
Nigerian religious leaders John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan and Mohamed Sa’ad Abubakar were said to be candidates, along with former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and the European Union.   Nigerian religious leaders John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan and Mohamed Sa’ad Abubakar were said to be candidates, along with former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and the European Union.   
Last year’s prize was shared by Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian antiwar activist Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karman, a democracy activist in Yemen.Last year’s prize was shared by Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian antiwar activist Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karman, a democracy activist in Yemen.
The Nobel committee lauded “their nonviolent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participations in peace-building work.”  The Nobel committee lauded “their nonviolent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participations in peace-building work.”  
The 2010 prize caused a diplomatic freeze between Norway and China that has yet to thaw. That year’s laureate was Liu Xiaobo, a Chinese human rights campaigner imprisoned for co-authoring a pro-democracy manifesto called Charter 08.   The 2010 prize caused a diplomatic freeze between Norway and China that has yet to thaw. That year’s laureate was Liu Xiaobo, a Chinese human rights campaigner imprisoned for co-authoring a pro-democracy manifesto called Charter 08.   
In 2009, the five-member Nobel committee in Oslo selected President Obama less than a year into his term, saying he had “created a new climate in international politics.”  In 2009, the five-member Nobel committee in Oslo selected President Obama less than a year into his term, saying he had “created a new climate in international politics.”  
The peace prize is one of five awards set up more than century ago by Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel. He specified that Norway’s Parliament should appoint a committee to recognize those who had “done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.”  The peace prize is one of five awards set up more than century ago by Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel. He specified that Norway’s Parliament should appoint a committee to recognize those who had “done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.”  
The other Nobel Prizes, for literature and sciences, are given by Swedish bodies. A prize for economics, to be awarded on Monday, was added in 1968 in memory of Alfred Nobel with funds provided by the Swedish central bank.  
The 2012 prizes were worth 8 million Swedish kronor, about $1.2 million, a reduction from the 10 million kronor that had been standard from 2001 to 2011. The Nobel Foundation has said its investment capital took a sharp hit in the 2008 financial crisis.  The 2012 prizes were worth 8 million Swedish kronor, about $1.2 million, a reduction from the 10 million kronor that had been standard from 2001 to 2011. The Nobel Foundation has said its investment capital took a sharp hit in the 2008 financial crisis.  

Walter Gibbs reported from Oslo, and Alan Cowell from Paris

Walter Gibbs reported from Oslo, and Alan Cowell from Paris