RUSSIA: Russian public figures call on the Nobel Committee to give the Peace Prize to president Vladimir Putin for his efforts in the Syrian peace settlement

Record ID: 349763

  • Title: RUSSIA: Russian public figures call on the Nobel Committee to give the Peace Prize to president Vladimir Putin for his efforts in the Syrian peace settlement
  • Date: 1st October 2013
  • Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (OCTOBER 1, 2013) (REUTERS) SIGNATORIES OF LETTER TO NOBEL COMMITTEE ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE, POP CROONER IOSIF KOBZON SEATED MEDIA NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS KOBZON SINGING CAMERA OPERATORS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMY OF SPIRITUAL UNITY AND COOPERATION BETWEEN WORLD'S NATIONS, BESLAN KOBAKHIA, SAYING: "Vladimir Putin did eve
  • Embargoed: 16th October 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Russian Federation
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: General,Politics,People
  • Reuters ID: LVACAIIOC4AXR6YQ4P13H41UR3E9
  • Story Text: A handful of supporters of Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Tuesday (October 1) their nomination of the president for a Nobel Peace Prize.
    The group, which included parliament deputy and popular crooner Iosef Kobzon and representatives of the "Academy of Spiritual Unity and Cooperation Between the World's Nations" told reporters at a Moscow news conference that Putin's leadership on issues related to the crisis in Syria made him a worthy candidate.
    "Vladimir Putin did everything possible for the peace settlement in Syria. Vladimir Putin led by his personal example in his devotion to peace - not just with his words, but with his actions. At the cornerstone of all his life there are no short-term political goals or vested corporate interests of his own country, but only interest in maintaining peace in the whole world," said Beslan Kobakhia, vice president of the Academy of Spiritual Unity and Cooperation Between the World's Nations.
    "It shows him as a wise and measured politician who really cares about total peace on Earth, which fully corresponds to the description of a Nobel Peace Prize nominee," Kobakhia said.
    Kobakhia said Russia's spearheading efforts to negotiate a political solution to stem the bloodshed in the two-year conflict that has killed more than 100,000 people was a direct result of Putin's leadership.
    "What is Syria? Syria is a key country in the Middle East. If we did not stop what was about to unravel, the whole Middle East would be knocked off balance and World War III would start. That's what we evaded thanks to our president, to Putin," he said.
    The lawmaker Kobzon criticized Nobel-winning U.S. President Barack Obama and said Putin was more deserving of the honour.
    "As for me, I'm offended that Barack Obama has it but our president doesn't. Because if you compare and weigh positive achievements of both of them, then our leader looks far more preferable in this aspect," Kobzon said.
    "We ask you to support our initiative and all together put pressure on the Nobel Committee to get a positive decision," he said.
    The group said they had submitted a nomination letter to the Nobel committee on Sept. 16, although the Norwegian Nobel Committee website says that the nomination process closed on Feb. 1.
    Nominations are secret, but the website reported that there are 259 candidates for the 2013 prize, 50 of which are organizations.
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