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Nobel Peace Prize awarded to European Union | Nobel Peace Prize awarded to European Union |
(35 minutes later) | |
The European Union has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for six decades of work in advancing peace in Europe. | The European Union has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for six decades of work in advancing peace in Europe. |
The committee said the EU had helped to transform Europe from a continent of war to a continent of peace. | The committee said the EU had helped to transform Europe from a continent of war to a continent of peace. |
The award comes as the EU faces the biggest crisis of its history, with recession and social unrest rocking many of its member states. | |
The last organisation to be given the award outright was Medecins Sans Frontieres, which won in 1999. | The last organisation to be given the award outright was Medecins Sans Frontieres, which won in 1999. |
Announcing the award, Nobel committee president Thorbjoern Jagland acknowledged the EU's current financial problems and social unrest. | Announcing the award, Nobel committee president Thorbjoern Jagland acknowledged the EU's current financial problems and social unrest. |
But he said the committee wanted to concentrate on the body's work over six decades of advancing "peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights". | But he said the committee wanted to concentrate on the body's work over six decades of advancing "peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights". |
The committee president highlighted the EU's work in sealing the reconciliation between France and Germany in the decades after World War II. | |
And he praised the organisation for incorporating Spain, Portugal and Greece after their authoritarian regimes collapsed in the 1970s. | |
He said that the EU's reconciliation work had now moved to Balkan countries, and pointed out that Croatia was on the verge of membership. | |
Reacting to the award, EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said on his Twitter feed: "It is a great honour for the whole of the EU, all 500 million citizens, to be awarded the 2012 Nobel Peace prize." |