Associated Press
Monday, February 04 – Online Edition, Posted at 6:32 PM EST
Oslo — U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair have been nominated for the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize for fighting terrorism and securing world peace, a Norwegian lawmaker announced Monday.
Harald Tom Nesvik, a member of Parliament from the right-wing Party of Progress, said he has nominated the two leaders who have been at the forefront of the war in Afghanistan.
"The background for my nomination is their decisive action against terrorism, something I believe in the future will be the greatest threat to peace," Mr. Nesvik said. "Unfortunately, sometimes . . . you have to use force to secure peace."
Mr. Nesvik has nomination rights as a member of a national legislature.
The Oslo-based awards committee accepts nominations postmarked by Feb. 1, so proposals continue to arrive and a final number is not expected until late in the month.
Last year, 136 individuals and groups were nominated. The $943,000 (U.S.) prize was shared by the United Nations and its Secretary-General, Kofi Annan.
The committee keeps the names of nominees secret for 50 years. However, those making nominations often reveal their choice.
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