Stenbäck: “Notable” Finn tried to block Martti Ahtisaari from getting Nobel Peace Prize

Pär Stenbäck

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Veteran minister and politician Per Stenbäck (Swedish People’s Party) says in his book of memoirs Kriisejä ja katastrofeja (“Crises and Disasters) that a well-known Finnish person wanted to prevent former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari from getting the Nobel Peace Prize.
      Stenbäck told Helsingin Sanomat on Monday that he does not know the name of the person, although he has some idea of who it might be.
      Stenbäck served a long career as an MP. He held ministerial posts a couple of times, and finally he worked for the International Committee of the Red Cross.
      Stenbäck says that Geir Lundestad told him in April 2007 that the Nobel Committee had received a letter from Finland. Stenbäck says that he was given the impression that the letter had come from either a “well-known”, or an “important” Finn.
      In the letter, the writer had given reasons why Ahtisaari should not be given the prize.
      One of the factors mentioned was his reported excessive use of alcohol.
      The discussion had been held at the Finnish Embassy in Oslo.
     
Stenbäck told Ahtisaari about the letter, because the two have known each other for 40 years. The news depressed Ahtisaari.
      Without Ahtisaari’s knowledge, Stenbäck wrote a letter to the committee’s secretary, denying the accusations.
      Ahtisaari was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008.
      “I do not know the name. If I had, I would have written it down”, Stenbäck said.
      As the Nobel Committee’s archives are sealed, it could be decades before the mystery comes out.
      Stenbäck does not believe that the letter was sent by any of Ahtisaari’s opponents in the Presidential elections.
      The disclosures have naturally sparked wild speculation on Internet discussion forums as to the possible identity of the culprit.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Martti Ahtisaari wins 2008 Nobel Peace Prize (10.10.2008)
  Nobel Peace laureate Martti Ahtisaari makes appeal for peace in Middle East (11.12.2008)

Helsingin Sanomat