STOCKHOLM, October 9 (RIA Novosti) - U.S. President Barack Obama was announced winner of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples," the Norwegian Nobel Committee said on Friday.

"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future," the committee said. "His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population."

The committee also said that Obama, who took office on January 20, 2009, "has as president created a new climate in international politics."

The prize, worth 10 million Swedish crowns ($1.4 million), will be awarded in Oslo on December 10.