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Washington, D.C. - Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) today congratulated Mohamed ElBaradei for winning the Nobel Peace Prize for 2005. ElBaradei and the International Atomic Energy Agency, which he leads, won the prize today for their work to stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
"I congratulate Mohamed ElBaradei and all the members of the International Atomic Energy Agency for their outstanding work to help stop the rapid development of nuclear weapons around the world. Mr. ElBaradei's work is extraordinarily important. His commitment to creating a world climate in which the need for nuclear military weapons no longer exists is both noble and very necessary.
"Mohamed ElBaradei also deserves strong praise for working against political pressure and doing what is right and just for the people of the world. He has refuted those who seek to use nuclear weapons or make claims that such weapons exist for political purposes. Mr. ElBaradei led the search for nuclear weapons in Iraq, which the Bush Administration claimed was the primary reason for an invasion of that country. He deserves much credit for standing strong against the Bush Administration when he reported that his organization had not uncovered any evidence of a nuclear program in Iraq. While the Bush Administration ignored the facts and chose to invade Iraq anyway, Mr. ElBaradei did not let that dissuade him from continuing his goal of ending nuclear proliferation and reaching peaceful resolutions elsewhere.
"Earlier this year, Mr. ElBaradei overwhelmingly won a third term as head of the International Atomic Energy Agency. He received broad support from around the world, with the notable exception of the Bush Administration, which is still upset with Mr. ElBaradei for factually proving that the Administration's justification for war -- the presence of weapons of mass destruction -- was false. Despite the Bush Administration's displeasure with Mr. ElBaradei, it is clear that he was doing what was right for the world. The fact that the rest of the world community has embraced him so fully is extraordinarily telling of how great Mr. ElBaradei's work has been. I wish him and the International Atomic Energy Agency the best of luck with their future efforts to end nuclear proliferation and make the world a more peaceful place."
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