“Of course, this puts pressure on Obama,’’ he said. “The world expects that he will also achieve something.’’
Many admirers lauded the president for his willingness to reach out to the Islamic world, his commitment to curtailing the spread of nuclear weapons, and his goal of bringing the Israelis and Palestinians into serious, fruitful negotiations.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, who won the prize in 1984, said Obama’s award shows great things are expected from him in the coming years.
“In a way, it’s an award coming near the beginning of the first term of office of a relatively young president that anticipates an even greater contribution towards making our world a safer place for all,’’ he said. “It is an award that speaks to the promise of President Obama’s message of hope.’’
He described it as a “wonderful recognition’’ of Obama’s effort to reach out to the Arab world after years of hostility.
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the Nobel Committee’s decision to reward Obama’s multilateral approach to the world was “great news.’’
“President Obama embodies the new spirit of dialogue and engagement on the world’s biggest problems: climate change, nuclear disarmament, and a wide range of peace and security challenges,’’ he said.
In the Kenyan city of Kisumu, the home province of Obama’s father, radio shows interrupted broadcasting to have live phone-ins so callers could congratulate Obama.
But there was far less enthusiasm in areas where America’s foreign policy is resented.
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki of Iran called the awarding of the prize “hasty and too early.’’
“We have no objection if this prize is an incentive to reverse the warmongering and unilateral policies of the previous US administration,’’ the semiofficial Mehr news agency quoted Mottaki as saying.
“The appropriate time for awarding such a prize is when foreign military forces leave Iraq and Afghanistan and when one stands by the rights of the oppressed Palestinian people,’’ he was quoted as saying.
