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"The
prize would strengthen my resolve and those of my colleagues to
speak the truth," said ElBaradei. (Reuters)
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OSLO,
October 7, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – The
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its chief Mohamed
ElBaradei were awarded the Noble Peace Prize on Friday, October 7, for
their efforts to limit the spread of atomic weapons.
"ElBaradei
was an unafraid advocate of measures to strengthen
non-proliferation," the Noble Committee said in its citation,
Agence France Presse (AFP) reported.
The
committee said that ElBaradie, a 63-year-old Egyptian lawyer, and the
UN nuclear watchdog were awarded the prize for addressing one of the
greatest dangers facing the world.
"At
a time when disarmament efforts appear deadlocked, when there is a
danger that nuclear arms will spread both to states and to terrorist
groups, and when nuclear power again appears to be playing an
increasingly significant role, IAEA's work is of incalculable
importance," the committee said.
The
prize, named after Swedish philanthropist Alfred Nobel, is worth $1.3
million and is due to be handed out in Oslo on December 10.
A
clearly emotional ElBaradei told a press conference that winning the
much-coveted and prestigious prize would give him and his agency a
much-needed "shot in the arm" as they tackle nuclear crises
in Iran and North Korea.
"The
prize would strengthen my resolve and those of my colleagues to speak
the truth…the prize gives me lots of pride and lots of
responsibilities and that it had came as an absolute surprise to
me."
ElBaradei
said he had been certain he would not win the prize, despite being
favored, because he had not received the traditional advance telephone
call from the Nobel Committee.
He
said he only learnt of his win while watching the televised ceremony.
"Independent,
Professional"
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"This
strengthens ElBaradei's position further. He has persistently
acted independently and professionally," said Blix.
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Hans
Blix, the former head of the UN nuclear watchdog, said he was
incredibly gratifying by the news, hailing the "independent and
professional" ElBaradei.
"This
underlines the role the IAEA plays, and has increasingly been playing,
when it comes to combating the spread of nuclear weapons," Blix
told Swedish news agency TT.
Blix,
a retired Swedish diplomat, headed the IAEA from 1981 to 1997 before
he became the chief UN weapons inspector in the run-up to the war in
Iraq.
Blix
said he had recruited ElBaradei to the agency and the award was also a
recognition of "the path we took together".
"This
strengthens ElBaradei's position further. He has persistently acted
independently and professionally," he said.
ElBaradei,
who began a third term at the IAEA this year, rose to prominence
before the US invasion-turned-occupation of Iraq, irritating
Washington by standing by findings that no evidence had been found
there of weapons of mass destruction, which have never been found ever
after the occupation.
He
locked horns with the Bush administration once again after the latter
accused him of not doing enough to investigate Iran's nuclear program.
The
administration was particularly outraged by IAEA's announcement in
November of last year that Tehran has
suspended all uranium enrichment activities.
The
Washington Post has revealed
that the Bush administration tapped the phone of ElBaradei during
conversations with Iranian officials in a bid to find any clue to oust
him, but the intercepted calls have not produced any evidence of
nefarious conduct.
The
Bush administration has in vain opposed ElBaradei’s getting a third
term in 2005 as IAEA chief. It gave up its ouster bids after it had
failed to field an appropriate candidate for the post.
Now
the Washington has been laying pressures on ElBaradei to refer the
Iranian file to the UN Security Council, an initial step before
imposing international sanctions on Tehran.
ElBaradei
has also touched on the taboo subject of Israel's secret nuclear arms,
demanding Tel Aviv in rare statements from an international official
to give up its nuclear arsenal to head off an arms race in the Middle
East.
