Nobel Peace award boosts Ahtisaari as mediator

Oslo - Martti Ahtisaari, Finland's former president and winner of the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize, said Tuesday he was receiving numerous calls to mediate in various conflicts but had 'no concrete project.' Before stepping in as a mediator, one must make a 'feasibility study,' he told reporters in Oslo the day before he was to accept the prestigíous award. Athtisaari, 71, hinted that he had been approached about Sri Lanka. Kosovo's independence process 'is irreversible,' Ahtisaari said, noting that some 50 countries have recogized Kosovo since it declared independence from Serbia in February. The recognition of Kosovo was opposed by among others Russia, and Ahtisaari doubted 'any quick turnabout in the Russian position.' Ahtisaari welcomed the deployment that was underway Tuesday of the European Union mission in Kosovo, known as Eulex, to advise local authoritites on rule of law. The Norwegian Nobel Committee was to honour him Wednesday for his mediation efforts in countries including Northern Ireland, Kosovo and Indonesia and his role in negotiations for Namibia's independence from apartheid South Africa. Before the announcement in October, Ahtisaari said he had planned to retire and to read some of the many books that had piled up on his desk and fulfill his wife Eeva's wish to have 'more of my time.' Now his office received numerous requests and he was constantly asked to comment on a range of issues. He said he would after the ceremonies assess what causes he would 'lend my name to.' On other conflicts like the Middle East or what he would wish US president-elect Barcack Obama to focus on, Ahtisaari said he would give more details in his acceptance speech Wednesday. However, on the Middle East he repeated the need to support efforts by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the official envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East, a group including the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia. Governments should not use the financial crisis 'as an excuse' not to carry out their undertakings to 'reduce poverty' and fulfill the Millennium Goals agreed on by the United Nations, Ahtisaari said. He underlined the need to create jobs and create a space in societies for the growing number of youth - estimated to number some 1.2 billion in the next decade, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO). Ahtisaari said he yet to decide on what to do with the 10 million kronor (1.2 million dollars) prize money.