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Nobel Committee Awards Peace Prize to E.U. Mired in Crisis, E.U. Wins Nobel Peace Prize
(35 minutes later)
OSLO — The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded its 2012 peace prize on Friday to the 27-nation European Union, saying it had contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation across the continent. OSLO — The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded its 2012 peace prize on Friday to the 27-nation European Union, lauding its role over six decades in building peace and reconciliation among enemies who fought Europe’s bloodiest wars, even as the continent wrestles with economic strife that threatens its cohesion and future.
With the bloc confronting the worst financial crisis in its history over the single euro currency, the award surprised some people who recalled the deep strains between Germany and other European nations over Berlin’s insistence on austerity measures that have brought pain to many, particularly in Greece. Thousands of protesters turned out in Athens earlier this week to demonstrate against a visit by Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany. The award surprised some people who noted the deep strains between Germany and other European nations over Berlin’s insistence on austerity measures that have brought pain to many Europeans, particularly in Greece and Spain. Thousands of protesters turned out in Athens earlier this week to demonstrate against a visit by Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany.
But Thorbjørn Jagland, the chairman of the panel awarding the prize, said it was a signal from the committee concerning reconciliation in Europe and a message to the continent to carry on such work, focusing on the union’s historical role binding France and Germany together after World War II. But Thorbjorn Jagland, the chairman of the panel awarding the prize, said it was a signal focusing on the union’s historical role binding France and Germany together after World War II and its perceived impact in spreading reconciliation and democracy beyond the Iron Curtain that once divided Europe and to the Balkans. “The stabilizing part played by the E. U. has helped to transform most of Europe from a continent of war to a continent of peace,” he said.
Norway is not a member of the European Union and, therefore, Mr. Jagland said, some people in his country were not aware of the role played by the European Union. José Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, said the award proved that the European body was “something very precious” for Europeans and was “an inspiration.”
Norway is not a member of the European Union and Mr. Jagland said some people in his country were not aware of the role played by the European Union.
“The union and its forerunners have for over six decades contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe,” Mr. Jagland said.“The union and its forerunners have for over six decades contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe,” Mr. Jagland said.
“In the interwar years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee made several awards to persons who were seeking reconciliation between Germany and France. Since 1945, that reconciliation has become a reality. The dreadful suffering in World War II demonstrated the need for a new Europe. Over a 70-year period, Germany and France had fought three wars. Today war between Germany and France is unthinkable. This shows how, through well-aimed efforts and by building up mutual confidence, historical enemies can become close partners.”“In the interwar years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee made several awards to persons who were seeking reconciliation between Germany and France. Since 1945, that reconciliation has become a reality. The dreadful suffering in World War II demonstrated the need for a new Europe. Over a 70-year period, Germany and France had fought three wars. Today war between Germany and France is unthinkable. This shows how, through well-aimed efforts and by building up mutual confidence, historical enemies can become close partners.”
At a news conference, Mr. Jagland was asked whether it had been a terrible year for the European Union. He replied: “We want to focus on what has been achieved in Europe in terms of peace and reconciliation and we want to remind us all what can happen if disintegration starts and if we let extremism and nationalism start growing again in Europe. So this is in a way a message to Europe that we should do everything we can to secure what we have achieved and move forward.”
He said the committee had “no ambitions” for the prize to solve the euro crisis and suggested that the origin of Europe’s current economic woes was the United States.
“There are many things to say about the economic crisis — where it originated for instance,” he said. “It started in the United States, and we had to deal with it.”
He added: “It started with Lehman Brothers.”
Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament, said on Twitter:  “Deeply touched, honored, that the E.U. has won the Nobel Peace Prize. Reconciliation is what the E.U. is about. It can serve as inspiration. The E.U. is an unique project that replaced war with peace, hate with solidarity. Overwhelming emotion for awarding of Nobel Prize to E.U..Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament, said on Twitter:  “Deeply touched, honored, that the E.U. has won the Nobel Peace Prize. Reconciliation is what the E.U. is about. It can serve as inspiration. The E.U. is an unique project that replaced war with peace, hate with solidarity. Overwhelming emotion for awarding of Nobel Prize to E.U..
Carl Bildt, Sweden’s foreign minister, said on Twitter: “I warmly congratulate all of Europe and our peace to the Nobel Peace Prize to the European Union. Highly deserved and highly important!”Carl Bildt, Sweden’s foreign minister, said on Twitter: “I warmly congratulate all of Europe and our peace to the Nobel Peace Prize to the European Union. Highly deserved and highly important!”
In his announcement, Mr. Jagland noted that “in the 1980s, Greece, Spain and Portugal joined the E.U. The introduction of democracy was a condition for their membership. The fall of the Berlin Wall made E.U. membership possible for several Central and Eastern European countries, thereby opening a new era in European history. The division between East and West has to a large extent been brought to an end; democracy has been strengthened; many ethnically based national conflicts have been settled.”
“The admission of Croatia as a member next year, the opening of membership negotiations with Montenegro, and the granting of candidate status to Serbia all strengthen the process of reconciliation in the Balkans. In the past decade, the possibility of E.U. membership for Turkey has also advanced democracy and human rights in that country,” he said. “The E.U. is currently undergoing grave economic difficulties and considerable social unrest. The Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to focus on what it sees as the E.U.’s most important result: the successful struggle for peace and reconciliation and for democracy and human rights.”
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 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.
In an unusual leak less than an hour before the prize was to be announced, Norwegian television said on its Web site that the winner was the 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. In an unusual leak less than an hour before the prize was to be announced, Norwegian television said on its Web site that the winner was the European Union.
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.
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 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.
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 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 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. Stephen Castle contributed reporting from London.