President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize yesterday in a stunning decision designed to build momentum behind his initiatives to reduce nuclear arms, ease tensions with the Muslim world and stress diplomacy and cooperation rather than unilateralism.

Obama said he was surprised and deeply humbled by the honour, and planned to travel to Oslo to accept the prize, which he said he does not see "as a recognition of my own accomplishments", but rather as a recognition of goals he has set for the United States (US) and the world.

"I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many transformative figures that have been honoured by this prize," Obama said.

unexpected choice

Many observers were shocked by the unexpected choice so early in the Obama presi-dency, which began less than two weeks before the February 1 nomination deadline and has yet to yield concrete achievements in peacemaking.

Some around the world objected to the choice of Obama, who still oversees wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and has launched deadly counterterror strikes in Pakistan and Somalia.

Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee said their choice could be seen as an early vote of confidence in Obama intended to build global support for his policies. They lauded the change in global mood wrought by Obama's calls for peace and cooperation, and praised his pledges to reduce the world's stock of nuclear arms, ease American conflicts with Muslim nations and strengthen the US role in combating climate change.

'isn't it premature?'

The peace prize was created partly to encourage ongoing peace efforts but Obama's efforts are at far earlier stages than past winners'. The Nobel committee acknowledged that they may not bear fruit at all.

"He got the prize because he has been able to change the international climate," Nobel committee Chairman Thorbjoern Jagland said. "Some people say, and I understand it, isn't it premature? Too early? Well, I'd say then that it could be too late to respond three years from now. It is now that we have the opportunity to respond, all of us."

After the prize was announced, Jagland compared the decision to give it to Obama to the prize that was given to German Chancellor Willy Brandt in 1971 for his Ostpolitik policy of trying to find common ground with Eastern Europe, which was under Communist sway.