美国前总统吉米·卡特赢得2002年度诺贝尔和平奖。诺贝尔和平奖颁发给吉米·卡特是为了表彰他为寻求和平解决国际冲突所作出的不懈努力。他在领奖时抨击美国对伊拉克的政策，并警告所谓的预防性战争可能具有“灾难性”的后果。

据香港文汇报引述路透社报道，卡特在奥斯陆接受诺贝尔和平奖的讲话中说：“强国采取预防性战争的原则可能树立了一个可引致灾难性后果的榜样。”

卡特指出，战争永远是邪恶的，虽然有时可能是必需的坏事。他强调“不应通过互相杀害来学习如何和平共处”。

卡特说：“我们必须记住，现今地球上有至少八个核武强国，其中三个正在国际关系紧张的地区威胁邻国。”

但卡特亦说，伊拉克必须“全面遵守(联合国)安理会的一致决定，废除所有大杀伤力武器，并准许检查员畅通无阻地进入各地点，以证实伊拉克遵守承诺”。

卡特亦呼吁国际社会接受联合国的领导，以寻求和平及缩窄贫富悬殊，并称战争永远是邪恶的。

卡特说，踏入新的千禧年，全球在许多方面变得更危险，恐怖主义和内战取代了二十世纪的冷战。他说：“必须以和平配合强大的国际联盟和共识来对付全球的挑战。这最好是透过联合国来进行，虽然它未必完美。”

YourMajesties,MembersoftheNorwegianNobelCommittee,Excellencies,LadiesandGentlemen:

ItiswithadeepsenseofgratitudethatIacceptthisprize.IamgratefultomywifeRosalynn,tomycolleaguesatTheCarterCenter,andtomanyotherswhocontinuetoseekanendtoviolenceandsufferingthroughouttheworld.ThescopeandcharacterofourCenter''''sactivitiesareperhapsunique,butinmanyotherwaystheyaretypicaloftheworkbeingdonebymanyhundredsofnongovernmentalorganizationsthatstriveforhumanrightsandpeace.

MostNobellaureateshavecarriedoutourworkinsafety,butthereareotherswhohaveactedwithgreatpersonalcourage.Nonehasprovidedmorevividremindersofthedangersofpeacemakingthantwoofmyfriends,AnwarSadatandYitzhakRabin,whogavetheirlivesforthecauseofpeaceintheMiddleEast.

Likethesetwoheroes,myfirstchosencareerwasinthemilitary,asasubmarineofficer.MyshipmatesandIrealizedthatwehadtobereadytofightifcombatwasforceduponus,andwewerepreparedtogiveourlivestodefendournationanditsprinciples.Atthesametime,wealwaysprayedferventlythatourreadinesswouldensurethattherewouldbenowar.

Later,aspresidentandasCommander-in-Chiefofourarmedforces,IwasoneofthosewhoborethesoberingresponsibilityofmaintainingglobalstabilityduringtheheightoftheColdWar,astheworld''''stwosuperpowersconfrontedeachother.Bothsidesunderstoodthatanunresolvedpoliticalaltercationoraseriousmisjudgmentcouldleadtoanuclearholocaust.InWashingtonandinMoscow,weknewthatwewouldhavelessthanahalfhourtorespondafterwelearnedthatintercontinentalmissileshadbeenlaunchedagainstus.Therehadtobeaconstantanddelicatebalancingofourgreatmilitarystrengthwithaggressivediplomacy,alwaysseekingtobuildfriendshipswithothernations,largeandsmall,thatsharedacommoncause.

Inthosedays,thenuclearandconventionalarmamentsoftheUnitedStatesandtheSovietUnionwerealmostequal,butdemocracyultimatelyprevailedbecauseofcommitmentstofreedomandhumanrights,notonlybypeopleinmycountryandthoseofourallies,butintheformerSovietempireaswell.Aspresident,IextendedmypublicsupportandencouragementtoAndreiSakharov,who,althoughdeniedtherighttoattendtheceremony,washonoredhereforhispersonalcommitmentstothesesameideals.

TheworldhaschangedgreatlysinceIlefttheWhiteHouse.Nowthereisonlyonesuperpower,withunprecedentedmilitaryandeconomicstrength.ThecomingbudgetforAmericanarmamentswillbegreaterthanthoseofthenextfifteennationscombined,andtherearetroopsfromtheUnitedStatesinmanycountriesthroughouttheworld.Ourgrossnationaleconomyexceedsthatofthethreecountriesthatfollowus,andournation''''svoicemostoftenprevailsasdecisionsaremadeconcerningtrade,humanitarianassistance,andtheallocationofglobalwealth.Thisdominantstatusisunlikelytochangeinourlifetimes.

GreatAmericanpowerandresponsibilityarenotunprecedented,andhavebeenusedwithrestraintandgreatbenefitinthepast.Wehavenotassumedthatsuperstrengthguaranteessuperwisdom,andwehaveconsistentlyreachedouttotheinternationalcommunitytoensurethatourownpowerandinfluencearetemperedbythebestcommonjudgment.

Withinourcountry,ultimatedecisionsaremadethroughdemocraticmeans,whichtendtomoderateradicalorill-advisedproposals.Constrainedandinspiredbyhistoricconstitutionalprinciples,ournationhasendeavoredformorethantwohundredyearstofollowthenowalmostuniversalidealsoffreedom,humanrights,andjusticeforall.

Ourpresident,WoodrowWilson,washonoredhereforpromotingtheLeagueofNations,whosetwobasicconceptswereprofoundlyimportant:"collectivesecurity"and"self-determination."Nowtheyareembeddedininternationallaw.Violationsofthesepremisesduringthelasthalf-centuryhavebeentragicfailures,aswasvividlydemonstratedwhentheSovietUnionattemptedtoconquerAfghanistanandwhenIraqinvadedKuwait.

Afterthesecondworldwar,AmericanSecretaryofStateCordellHullreceivedthisprizeforhisroleinfoundingtheUnitedNations.Hissuccessor,GeneralGeorgeC.Marshall,wasrecognizedbecauseofhiseffortstohelprebuildEurope,withoutexcludingthevanquishednationsofItalyandGermany.Thiswasahistoricexampleofrespectinghumanrightsattheinternationallevel.

Ladiesandgentlemen:

Twelveyearsago,PresidentMikhailGorbachevreceivedyourrecognitionforhispreeminentroleinendingtheColdWarthathadlastedfiftyyears.

Butinsteadofenteringamillenniumofpeace,theworldisnow,inmanyways,amoredangerousplace.Thegreatereaseoftravelandcommunicationhasnotbeenmatchedbyequalunderstandingandmutualrespect.Thereisaplethoraofcivilwars,unrestrainedbyrulesoftheGenevaConvention,withinwhichanoverwhelmingportionofthecasualtiesareunarmedcivilianswhohavenoabilitytodefendthemselves.Andrecentappallingactsofterrorismhaveremindedusthatnonations,evensuperpowers,areinvulnerable.

Itisclearthatglobalchallengesmustbemetwithanemphasisonpeace,inharmonywithothers,withstrongalliancesandinternationalconsensus.Imperfectasitmaybe,thereisnodoubtthatthiscanbestbedonethroughtheUnitedNations,whichRalphBunchedescribedhereinthissameforumasexhibitinga"fortunateflexibility"-notmerelytopreservepeacebutalsotomakechange,evenradicalchange,withoutviolence.

Hewentontosay:"Tosuggestthatwarcanpreventwarisabaseplayonwordsandadespicableformofwarmongering.Theobjectiveofanywhosincerelybelieveinpeaceclearlymustbetoexhausteveryhonorablerecourseintheefforttosavethepeace.Theworldhashadampleevidencethatwarbegetsonlyconditionsthatbegetfurtherwar."

Wemustrememberthattodaythereareatleasteightnuclearpowersonearth,andthreeofthemarethreateningtotheirneighborsinareasofgreatinternationaltension.Forpowerfulcountriestoadoptaprincipleofpreventivewarmaywellsetanexamplethatcanhavecatastrophicconsequences.

IfweacceptthepremisethattheUnitedNationsisthebestavenueforthemaintenanceofpeace,thenthecarefullyconsidereddecisionsoftheUnitedNationsSecurityCouncilmustbeenforced.Alltoooften,thealternativehasproventobeuncontrollableviolenceandexpandingspheresofhostility.

Formorethanhalfacentury,followingthefoundingoftheStateofIsraelin1948,theMiddleEastconflicthasbeenasourceofworldwidetension.AtCampDavidin1978andinOsloin1993,Israelis,Egyptians,andPalestinianshaveendorsedtheonlyreasonableprescriptionforpeace:UnitedNationsResolution242.Itcondemnstheacquisitionofterritorybyforce,callsforwithdrawalofIsraelfromtheoccupiedterritories,andprovidesforIsraelistolivesecurelyandinharmonywiththeirneighbors.Thereisnoothermandatewhoseimplementationcouldmoreprofoundlyimproveinternationalrelationships.

PerhapsofmoreimmediateconcernisthenecessityforIraqtocomplyfullywiththeunanimousdecisionoftheSecurityCouncilthatiteliminateallweaponsofmassdestructionandpermitunimpededaccessbyinspectorstoconfirmthatthiscommitmenthasbeenhonored.Theworldinsiststhatthisbedone.

IthoughtoftenduringmyyearsintheWhiteHouseofanadmonitionthatwereceivedinoursmallschoolinPlains,Georgia,fromabelovedteacher,MissJuliaColeman.Sheoftensaid:"Wemustadjusttochangingtimesandstillholdtounchangingprinciples."

WhenIwasayoungboy,thissameteacheralsointroducedmetoLeoTolstoy''''snovel,"WarandPeace."Sheinterpretedthatpowerfulnarrativeasareminderthatthesimplehumanattributesofgoodnessandtruthcanovercomegreatpower.Shealsotaughtusthatanindividualisnotsweptalongonatideofinevitabilitybutcaninfluenceeventhegreatesthumanevents.

Thesepremiseshavebeenprovenbythelivesofmanyheroes,someofwhosenameswerelittleknownoutsidetheirownregionsuntiltheybecameNobellaureates:AlbertJohnLutuli,NormanBorlaug,DesmondTutu,ElieWiesel,AungSanSuuKyi,JodyWilliams,andevenAlbertSchweitzerandMotherTeresa.Alloftheseandothershaveproventhatevenwithoutgovernmentpower-andofteninoppositiontoit-individualscanenhancehumanrightsandwagepeace,activelyandeffectively.

TheNobelprizealsoprofoundlymagnifiedtheinspiringglobalinfluenceofMartinLutherKing,Jr.,thegreatestleaderthatmynativestatehaseverproduced.Onapersonalnote,itisunlikelythatmypoliticalcareerbeyondGeorgiawouldhavebeenpossiblewithoutthechangesbroughtaboutbythecivilrightsmovementintheAmericansouthandthroughoutournation.

OnthestepsofourmemorialtoAbrahamLincoln,Dr.Kingsaid:"IhaveadreamthatontheredhillsofGeorgiathesonsofformerslavesandthesonsofformerslaveownerswillbeabletositdowntogetheratatableofbrotherhood."

Thescourgeofracismhasnotbeenvanquished,eitherintheredhillsofourstateoraroundtheworld.Andyetweseeevermorefrequentmanifestationsofhisdreamofracialhealing.Inasymbolicbutverygenuineway,atleastinvolvingtwoGeorgians,itiscomingtrueinOslotoday.

Iamnothereasapublicofficial,butasacitizenofatroubledworldwhofindshopeinagrowingconsensusthatthegenerallyacceptedgoalsofsocietyarepeace,freedom,humanrights,environmentalquality,thealleviationofsuffering,andtheruleoflaw.

Duringthepastde世界秘书网版权所有cades,theinternationalcommunity,usuallyundertheauspicesoftheUnitedNations,hasstruggledtonegotiateglobalstandardsthatcanhelpusachievetheseessentialgoals.Theyinclude:theabolitionoflandminesandchemicalweapons;anendtothetesting,proliferation,andfurtherdeploymentofnuclearwarheads;constraintsonglobalwarming;prohibitionofthedeathpenalty,atleastforchildren;andaninternationalcriminalcourttodeterandtopunishwarcrimesandgenocide.Thoseagreementsalreadyadoptedmustbefullyimplemented,andothersshouldbepursuedaggressively.

Wemustalsostrivetocorrecttheinjusticeofeconomicsanctionsthatseektopenalizeabusiveleadersbutalltooofteninflictpunishmentonthosewhoarealreadysufferingfromtheabuse.

Theunchangingprinciplesoflifepredatemoderntimes.IworshipJesusChrist,whomweChristiansconsidertobethePrinceofPeace.AsaJew,hetaughtustocrossreligiousboundaries,inserviceandinlove.HerepeatedlyreachedoutandembracedRomanconquerors,otherGentiles,andeventhemoredespisedSamaritans.

Despitetheologicaldifferences,allgreatreligionssharecommoncommitmentsthatdefineouridealsecularrelationships.IamconvincedthatChristians,Muslims,Buddhists,Hindus,Jews,andotherscanembraceeachotherinacommonefforttoalleviatehumansufferingandtoespousepeace.

Butthepresenteraisachallenginganddisturbingtimeforthosewhoselivesareshapedbyreligiousfaithbasedonkindnesstowardeachother.Wehavebeenremindedthatcruelandinhumanactscanbederivedfromdistortedtheologicalbeliefs,assuicidebomberstakethelivesofinnocenthumanbeings,drapedfalselyinthecloakofGod''''swill.Withhorriblebrutality,neighborshavemassacredneighborsinEurope,Asia,andAfrica.

Inorderforushumanbeingstocommitourselvespersonallytotheinhumanityofwar,wefinditnecessaryfirsttodehumanizeouropponents,whichisinitselfaviolationofthebeliefsofallreligions.OncewecharacterizeouradversariesasbeyondthescopeofGod''''smercyandgrace,theirlivesloseallvalue.Wedenypersonalresponsibilitywhenweplantlandminesand,daysoryearslater,astrangertous-oftenachild-iscrippledorkilled.Fromagreatdistance,welaunchbombsormissileswithalmosttotalimpunity,andneverwanttoknowthenumberoridentityofthevictims.

AtthebeginningofthisnewmillenniumIwasaskedtodiscuss,hereinOslo,thegreatestchallengethattheworldfaces.Amongallthepossiblechoices,Idecidedthatthemostseriousanduniversalproblemisthegrowingchasmbetweentherichestandpoorestpeopleonearth.Citizensofthetenwealthiestcountriesarenowseventy-fivetimesricherthanthosewholiveinthetenpoorestones,andtheseparationisincreasingeveryyear,notonlybetweennationsbutalsowithinthem.Theresultsofthisdisparityarerootcausesofmostoftheworld''''sunresolvedproblems,includingstarvation,illiteracy,environmentaldegradation,violentconflict,andunnecessaryillnessesthatrangefromGuineawormtoHIV/AIDS.

MostworkofTheCarterCenterisinremotevillagesinthepoorestnationsofAfrica,andthereIhavewitnessedthecapacityofdestitutepeopletopersevereunderheartbreakingconditions.Ihavecometoadmiretheirjudgmentandwisdom,theircourageandfaith,andtheirawesomeaccomplishmentswhengivenachancetousetheirinnateabilities.

Buttragically,intheindustrializedworldthereisaterribleabsenceofunderstandingorconcernaboutthosewhoareenduringlivesofdespairandhopelessness.Wehavenotyetmadethecommitmenttosharewithothersanappreciablepartofourexcessivewealth.Thisisapotentiallyrewardingburdenthatweshouldallbewillingtoassume.

Ladiesandgentlemen:

Warmaysometimesbeanecessaryevil.Butnomatterhownecessary,itisalwaysanevil,neveragood.Wewillnotlearnhowtolivetogetherinpeacebykillingeachother''''schildren.

Thebondofourcommonhumanityisstrongerthanthedivisivenessofourfearsandprejudices.Godgivesusthecapacityforchoice.世界秘书网版权所有Wecanchoosetoalleviatesuffering.Wecanchoosetoworktogetherforpeace.Wecanmakethesechanges-andwemust.

Thankyou.