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Finn wins for his work for peace

Helped resolve global strife

By Doug Mellgren ASSOCIATED PRESS | Saturday, October 11, 2008

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OSLO | Finland's former President Martti Ahtisaari won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for his efforts to build a lasting peace from Africa and Asia to Europe and the Middle East.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee said it honored Mr. Ahtisaari for important efforts over more than three decades to resolve international conflicts.

"These efforts have contributed to a more peaceful world and to 'fraternity between nations' in Alfred Nobel's spirit," the committee said in announcing the prize.

The award, however, drew some criticism for not highlighting China's crackdown in Tibet and on human rights activists.

Speculation had focused on using the prize to honor the 60th anniversary of the signing of the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights by singling out dissidents in China, Russia and Vietnam, overshadowed the decision.

"It is an opportunity missed to change the world for the better by encouraging reform in China," said Edward McMillan-Scott, a British member of the European Parliament who had nominated Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng and AIDS and environmental activist Hu Jia for the prestigious prize.

On Tuesday, China's Foreign Ministry hinted it didn't want Chinese human rights activists to win this year's Nobel Peace Prize, saying the award should go to the "right people."

By selecting Mr. Ahtisaari, 71, for the prize, the Nobel committee returned its focus to traditional peace work after tapping climate campaigner Al Gore and the U.N. panel on climate change last year.

"He is a world champion when it comes to peace and he never gives up," said Ole Danbolt Mjoes, the chairman of the Norwegian Nobel awards committee.

The award, he said, was in line with recent Nobels to other peace mediators, notably Jimmy Carter in 2002 and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2001.