The Norwegian Nobel Institute Henrik Ibsens gate 51 0255 OSLO Tel: (+47) 22 12 93 00 Fax: (+47) 94 76 11 17 E-mail: postmaster@nobel.no 12 September 2014 Statement on 2009 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate by Thorbjrn Jagland on behalf of the Nobel Committee "Prizes awarded by the Nobel Committee are not retracted. It remains the obligation of the Committee to disassociate itself from actions taken by laureates that frustrate rather than advancing the fraternity between nations and the abolition or reduction of standing armies. The Committee therefore joins with the public statements of several Nobel Peace Laureates in expressing its regrets over the conduct of the 2009 prize recipient. "Not all criticism of the 2009 selection process has been accurate or appropriate. While the value of the recipient's name-recognition was discussed, it was not a decisive factor. While the precedent of having awarded the prize in 1964 to a laureate who went on to oppose war only in 1967 was considered, it was likewise not a decisive factor. Nor was any comparison drawn between the 1964 and 2009 laureates prior to the 2009 acceptance speech. "The absence of qualifications prior to or since the awarding of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize was by no means unique to this case. The prize has frequently been awarded to advocates for war or to individuals whose work has not touched on the field of war and peace. The awarding of the prize is itself an act on behalf of peace, and that act involves risks. The Committee will continue, as it is required, to award prizes in the manner most likely to advance its mission. When statements of regret become tools for advancing the same agenda, they will be issued."