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| Obama set for Oslo Nobel ceremony | Obama set for Oslo Nobel ceremony |
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| US President Barack Obama will collect his Nobel Peace Prize at a ceremony in Norway's capital, Oslo, shortly. | US President Barack Obama will collect his Nobel Peace Prize at a ceremony in Norway's capital, Oslo, shortly. |
| The accolade was awarded to Mr Obama in October for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples". | The accolade was awarded to Mr Obama in October for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples". |
| At a news conference with Norway's PM, Mr Obama said he had no doubt there were other candidates more deserving. | At a news conference with Norway's PM, Mr Obama said he had no doubt there were other candidates more deserving. |
| The ceremony comes days after Mr Obama announced he was sending 30,000 extra US soldiers to the war in Afghanistan. | The ceremony comes days after Mr Obama announced he was sending 30,000 extra US soldiers to the war in Afghanistan. |
| The US president signed the Nobel Prize book of previous laureates after arriving in Oslo with his wife, Michelle, on Thursday morning. | The US president signed the Nobel Prize book of previous laureates after arriving in Oslo with his wife, Michelle, on Thursday morning. |
| Amid high security throughout the city, he will deliver a speech, meet Norway's royal family, watch a procession and dine at a banquet. | Amid high security throughout the city, he will deliver a speech, meet Norway's royal family, watch a procession and dine at a banquet. |
| President Obama's Peace Prize award was, if you like, a political endorsement from Europe Gavin Hewitt's Europe Obama tight schedule irks Norway | President Obama's Peace Prize award was, if you like, a political endorsement from Europe Gavin Hewitt's Europe Obama tight schedule irks Norway |
| But there has been some criticism because he will not have lunch with the king and queen, and is staying in Norway only one day, even though Nobel ceremonies are usually held over three. | But there has been some criticism because he will not have lunch with the king and queen, and is staying in Norway only one day, even though Nobel ceremonies are usually held over three. |
| At a news conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, Mr Obama said he and his wife wished they could stay in the country longer. | At a news conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, Mr Obama said he and his wife wished they could stay in the country longer. |
| There was a mixed reaction when he was named as the winner of the prize for 2009. | There was a mixed reaction when he was named as the winner of the prize for 2009. |
| Addressing this, Mr Obama told the news conference: "The goal is not to win a popularity contest or to get an award, even one as prestigious as the Nobel peace prize. The goal has been to advance America's interests. | Addressing this, Mr Obama told the news conference: "The goal is not to win a popularity contest or to get an award, even one as prestigious as the Nobel peace prize. The goal has been to advance America's interests. |
| "If I am successful in those tasks, then hopefully some of the criticism will subside, but that is not really my concern. If I am not successful, then all the praise and the awards in the world won't disguise that fact." | "If I am successful in those tasks, then hopefully some of the criticism will subside, but that is not really my concern. If I am not successful, then all the praise and the awards in the world won't disguise that fact." |
| Critics have said it is inappropriate for the prize to go to the commander-in-chief of a country involved in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. | Critics have said it is inappropriate for the prize to go to the commander-in-chief of a country involved in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. |
| Indonesia unveils statue of Obama | Indonesia unveils statue of Obama |
| US officials said President Obama was aware of the "juxtaposition" of troop plans and the peace prize, and that he would refer to the wars in his acceptance speech. | US officials said President Obama was aware of the "juxtaposition" of troop plans and the peace prize, and that he would refer to the wars in his acceptance speech. |
| White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Mr Obama "understands and again will also recognise that he doesn't belong in the same discussion as [Nelson] Mandela and Mother Teresa", previous Nobel Peace Prize winners. | White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Mr Obama "understands and again will also recognise that he doesn't belong in the same discussion as [Nelson] Mandela and Mother Teresa", previous Nobel Peace Prize winners. |
| Security is high in Oslo for the event and anti-war protesters have gathered outside city hall, where the ceremony is taking place. | |
| "We are protesting against him because he is going to have this prize and we don't think he is a man of peace," one protester, Anna Carraro, told AFP news agency. | "We are protesting against him because he is going to have this prize and we don't think he is a man of peace," one protester, Anna Carraro, told AFP news agency. |
| The Nobel Prizes for chemistry, literature, medicine, physics and economics will also be presented, with each laureate receiving a diploma, a medal and 10m Krona ($1.4m; £865,000), which is shared by joint winners. | The Nobel Prizes for chemistry, literature, medicine, physics and economics will also be presented, with each laureate receiving a diploma, a medal and 10m Krona ($1.4m; £865,000), which is shared by joint winners. |
| Coinciding with the Nobel ceremony, a statue of Mr Obama as a young boy was unveiled in a park in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. | Coinciding with the Nobel ceremony, a statue of Mr Obama as a young boy was unveiled in a park in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. |
| The park is close to where the president lived between 1967 and 1971 and the statue depicts him as a 10-year-old wearing shorts and with a butterfly on his finger. | The park is close to where the president lived between 1967 and 1971 and the statue depicts him as a 10-year-old wearing shorts and with a butterfly on his finger. |
| Central Jakarta Mayor Sylviana Murni said the statue was intended to inspire Indonesian children. | Central Jakarta Mayor Sylviana Murni said the statue was intended to inspire Indonesian children. |
| "There is a message through the young Obama statue that any child and anyone from any background can reach their dreams if they fight for it persistently," the Associated Press news agency quoted her as saying. | "There is a message through the young Obama statue that any child and anyone from any background can reach their dreams if they fight for it persistently," the Associated Press news agency quoted her as saying. |