US President Barack Obama sensationally won the Nobel Peace Prize yesterday, just nine months into his term, with the jury hailing his "extraordinary" efforts in international diplomacy and to hasten nuclear disarmament. Obama said he was "humbled" by the distinction hut criticism built over how the award could be given so quickly.

"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 Nobel jury said in making the stunning announcement.

The committee attached "special importance to Obama's vision and work for a world without nuclear weapons’ and said he had created "a new climate in international politics."

Obama. 48. took office on January 20 and has sought to restore US standing after widespread criticism over the war tn Iraq and the world superpower's attitude to efforts to control global warm ing.

The first black American president has brought the Israeli and Palestinian leaders together for a meeting, approved new diplomatic engagement with Iran, Myanmar and North Korea and signalled a new willingness to attack growing environmental problems.

Obama went to Cairo to make a major speech on relations with the Muslim world, badly tarnished by President George W. Bush's order to invade Iraq. At the United Nations, he has launched an initiative to reduce the number of nuclear weapons.

The US president was awoken at 6:00am at the White House by his spokesman to be told of the award. An administration official quoted Obama as saying he felt "humbled".

Obama was honoured for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples," the head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee Thorbjoern Jagland said.

"We had no problem... It was a unanimous decision," he said.

The jury said: "Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts, The-vision -of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations." it said.

"Thanks to Obama's initiative. the US is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic changes the world is confronting."

The committee said it was seeking to encourage Obama's ideals rather than recognise concrete results.

Speaking to AFR Jagland said: "It was unavoidable to give the prize to the man who has improved the interna-tional climate and emphasised negotiations and dialogue."

"Before he took office the situation was so dangerous. Step by step he has given the message to the world that he wants to negotiate on all conflicts, strengthen the United Nations and work for a world without any nuclear arms."

Poland's anti-communist leader Lech Walesa, who won the 1983 Nobel Peace Prize, said it was too early to reward Obama now.

"Who, Obama? So fast? Too fast — he hasn't had the time to do anything yet," Walesa told reporters in Warsaw.

"For the time being Obama's just making proposals. But sometimes the Nobel committee awards the prize to encourage responsible action."

Still, the US remains at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the US Congress has yet to pass a law reducing carbon emissions and there has been little significant reduction in global nuclear stockpiles since Obama took office.

The award appeared to be a slap at President George W Bush from a committee that harshly criticised Obama's predecessor for his largely unilateral military action in the wake of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. The Nobel committee praised Obama's creation of "a new climate in international politics" and said he had returned multilateral diplomacy and institutions like the UN to the centre of the world stage.

In Afghanistan, Taliban militia spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the prize. "We have seen no change in his strategy for peace. He has done nothing for peace in Afghani stan.'

’We hope that this gives him the incentive to walk in the path of bringing justice to the world order," a spokesman for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said. • Other world leaders said the distinction should be seen as an encouragement for Obama.

UN's nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei, another past Peace Prize winner, said Obama was the most deserving winner.

"In less than a year in office, he has transformed the way we look at ourselves and the world we live in and rekindled hope for a world at peace with itself." said the outgoing director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

President Obama has provided outstanding leadership on moving towards a world free of nuclear weapons,” he said.

The 2008 Peace Prize winner Martti Ahtisaari, former Finnish president and veteran troubleshooter in international conflicts, said the award should "encourage" Obama's Middle East peace efforts.

"We do not yet have a peace in the Middle East., this time it it was very clear that they wanted to encourage Obama to move on these issues," Ahtisaari told CNN television.

Asked whether it was too early to give Obama the prize. Jagland replied: "If you look at the history of the Peace Prize, we have on many occasions given it to try to enhance what many personalities were trying to do."

"The decision to go to Afghanistan had a unanimous UN mandate. The conflict in Afghanistan concerns us all. This is not only the responsibility of Barack Obama but hopefully this improved international climate could help resolve the conflict,' he said.

Obama is the third US president in office to win the award, after Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 and Woodrow Wilson in 1919. Former US president Jimmy Carter won the prize in 2002.

The gold medal, diploma and a cheque for 10 million Swedish kronor (1.42 million dollars, 980,000 euros) will be presented in Oslo on December 10, the anniversary of the death in 1896 of the prize creator, Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel.

— World leaders urged Barack Obama to seize on the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to intensify his diplomatic efforts to forge peace in the globe's trouble spots.

The prize marks "America's return to the hearts of the world's peoples," French President Nicolas Sarkozy said.

Sarkozy said the Nobel Committee had recognised his "determined commitment to human rights, justice and the promotion of peace in the world, in accordance with the will of founder Albert Nobel."

But the surprise announcement by the Norwegian Nobel Peace Prize Committee in Oslo was interpreted more as a bid to encourage the US president's bold diplomatic overtures to Washington's enemies, rather than a recognition of the achievement of peace by a leader in office for only nine months.

PM GREETS OBAMA

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has congratulated US President Barack Obama on winning the Nobel Peace Prize, reports UNB.

Obama was honoured for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples and his outreach to the Muslim world and attempts to curb nuclear proliferation.

In a message of felicitation, Hasina said President Obama has played a unique role in establishing world peace and bringing about amity among different nations, religions and faiths.

"He has inspired all for building a wonderful world for the future generation," she said.

The PM expected more determined and effective leadership of Obama in establishing peace, alleviating poverty and improving the socio-economic condition of the developingcountries.

YUNUS HAILS OBAMA Bangladeshi economist Muhammad Yunus said Friday the Nobel committee had sent a "powerful message" to the world by naming US President Barack Obama the 2009 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, reports AFP. Dhaka.

Yunus, who along with his Grameen Bank won the peace prize in 2006 for lifting people out of extreme poverty in Bangladesh, said Obama represented hope around the world and had "changed the leadership of the world."

Barack Obama has taken the world and put it back on the right track, in terms of nuclear disarmament, in terms of bringing peace in Iraq and in tenns of multilateral diplomacy.” the 69-ycar-old Minus told AFR

"He has excited (he young people of the world. There's now meaning and direction for the world," Yunus said.

"It's an endorsement of him and the direction he is taking. It's as much about what he will achieve as what he has already achieved. It's a powerful message that the peace prize has given."

In August, Obama presented Yunus with the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a ceremony in Washington.