Nobel prize win 'humbles' Obama
Obama was woken very early by staff bringing news of the award
US President Barack Obama has said he was "surprised and deeply humbled" to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, less than 10 months into his presidency.
Speaking at the White House hours after the Norwegian Nobel Prize Committee named him as a surprise winner, he said the award should be a "call to action".
The world faced challenges that "cannot be met by one person or by one nation alone," Mr Obama said.
The committee said he won for efforts to boost diplomacy and co-operation.
"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 Norwegian committee said in a statement.
"His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population."
Long-term goals
Standing in the Rose Garden to make his first public statement since being woken early by aides bringing news of the award, Mr Obama stressed that his win was just the beginning of his work.
 | MARDELL'S AMERICA  There was already a huge weight of responsibility on Obama's shoulders, and this medal hung round his neck has just made it a little heavier  Mark Mardell BBC North America editor  |
He said he did not feel he deserved to be in the company of some of the "transformative figures" who had previously received the award.
Some of his aims, particularly the goal of universal nuclear disarmament, would be difficult to achieve even within his lifetime, let alone his presidency, Mr Obama said.
And he sought to deflect some of the global surprise at his win, describing the award as "affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations".
"I know that throughout history the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honour specific achievements," he said.
"It's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes. And that is why I will accept this award as a call to action, a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st Century."
Public bemused
There were a record 205 nominations for this year's peace prize. Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Chinese dissident Hu Jia had been among the favourites.
| ANALYSIS  Paul Reynolds BBC News, London The award is certainly unexpected and might be regarded as more of an encouragement for intentions than a reward for achievements. After all, the president has been in office for a little over eight months and he might hope to serve eight years. His ambition for a world free of nuclear weapons is one that is easier to declare than to achieve and a climate control agreement has yet to be reached. Indeed, the citation indicates that it is President Obama's world view that attracted the Nobel committee - that diplomacy should be founded "on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population". |
Instead the committee chose Mr Obama, who was inaugurated less than two weeks before the 1 February nomination deadline.
There was widespread surprise at the decision, with about 75% of comments sent to the BBC either disagreeing with the award or saying it had come too soon.
The Nobel laureate - chosen by a five-member committee - wins a gold medal, a diploma and 10m Swedish kronor ($1.4m).
Asked why the prize had been awarded to Mr Obama less than a year after he took office, Nobel Committee head Thorbjoern Jagland said: "It was because we would like to support what he is trying to achieve".
He specifically mentioned Mr Obama's work to strengthen international institutions and work towards a world free of nuclear arms.
'New climate'
Reaction to the committee's decision from around the world was swift and varied.
Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, said he could not think of anyone more deserving of the award.
But spokesmen from anti-US Islamist groups such as the Taliban, Hamas and Islamic Jihad said they had seen no evidence yet of improvements in security for people in their regions.
Since taking office in January, President Obama has pursued an ambitious international agenda including a push for peace in the Middle East and negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme.
| THE SELECTION PROCESS Those qualified to nominate candidates include members of national governments, international judiciary, academics and previous prize winners Five Norwegians are chosen by Norway's parliament to sit on the Nobel Committee The committee compiles a shortlist of between five and 20 candidates The shortlist is considered by the Nobel Institute's permanent advisers, mainly Norwegian academics The Nobel Committee chooses the winner Details of the nominations and selection process are kept secret for 50 years |
However, critics say he has failed to make breakthroughs. Domestically, Mr Obama has been working to tackle an economic crisis and win support for healthcare reform.
Some said they saw the prize as a way of encouraging the US leader early in his presidency.
"It is an award that speaks to the promise of President Obama's message of hope," said Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, a former winner.
The statement from the Nobel Committee said Mr Obama had "created a new climate in international politics".
"Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play," it said.
Mr Obama is the first US president to win the prize since former US President Jimmy Carter in 2002. Theodore Roosevelt won the prize in 1906 and Woodrow Wilson won it in 1919.
The prize was invented by the Swedish industrialist and inventor of dynamite Alfred Nobel, and was first awarded in 1901.
As Sweden was at the time united with Norway, Nobel designated the parliament in Norway to elect the peace prize committee. Swedish academies are responsible for other prizes.
The prize-giving ceremony for the peace award is due to take place on 10 December in the Norwegian capital, Oslo. Mr Obama has indicated he will attend.
What a waste of an award. Given to someone who has done nothing, absolutely nothing, in the senate before he was elected and now in the presidency.
Give us peace with Iran, Peace in the Middle east, and Health Care, and EARN that medal.
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