Peacekeepers Win Nobel; Move Wins Profs Praise

Several Harvard international relations experts yesterday applauded the Nobel Prize Committee for awarding this year's Peace Prize to United Nations peacekeeping forces.

The citation from the Nobel Committee, made up of five Norwegians, said the 10,000 peacekeepers from 30 nations demonstrated the world's determination to settle disputes peacefully. The U.N. maintains seven peacekeeping forces, five of which are in the Middle East.

Nathan I. Huggins, DuBois Professor of History and Afro-American Studies, said the award couldn't have come at a better time to bring attention to the U.N.'s ability to make peace.

"The Soviets and the United States have come to a point of exhaustion with the Cold War," he said. He said the award makes U.N. peacekeeping efforts an increasingly attractive alternative to unilateral action by any power.

The award was an indirect tribute to U.N. Secretary-General Javiar Perez de Cuellar. Perez de Cuellar was instrumental in mediating the Iran-Iraqcease fire, initiating the Soviet withdrawal fromAfghanistan and promoting peace talks in southwestAfrica.

Harvard faculty members interviewed yesterdaycommended the decision but said the awardprimarily is a symbolic one.

Assistant Professor of Government and SocialStudies Houchang E. Chehabi said the awarding ofthe Peace Prize is "an attempt to endorse what the[peacekeeping] troops are doing," though he calledthe decision "a symbolic gesture."

Chehabi, an expert in international relations,said that the peacekeeping forces are "doing agood job" and that he "couldn't think of anybetter candidates," except perhaps Perez deCuellar.

Perez de Cuellar was ineligible for this year'sprize because he was nominated after the Feb. 1deadline.

Dillon Professor of the Civilization of FranceStanley H. Hoffmann, a renowned internationalrelations scholar, said the U.N. forces provide"an honorable way to put an end to war" byallowing nations to stop fighting without losingface.

"Nobel Peace Prizes are usually symbolic,"Hoffmann said. But Hoffmann added the award willforce the nations of the world to "think moreseriously about peacekeeping forces."

U.N. troops also provide "a means to bringsanctions and pressure on those breakinginternational law," Huggins said, but he warnedthat the international police force is far frominfallible.

"All nations have notions of their ownself-interest," he said. Peacekeeping forces aremost effective in areas where the "great powerscan be in accord," Huggins said.

Although Chehabi said the prize will not havemuch impact, he said it "may have legitimized theoperation" of the peacekeeping forces.

Huggins agreed, saying that while the PeacePrize wouldn't solve the world's problems "in andof itself," it would help the reputation of theU.N. and allow the 40-year-old organization totake "a more usuful and constructive role."

With the honor of the prize comes a $390,000cash award. Perez de Cuellar said he would acceptthe prize on behalf of the forces Dec. 10 in Oslo.

Committee Chairman Egil Aarvik confirmed thatPresident Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail S.Gorbachev were among the 97 candidates and"seriously considered" for the prize. Reagancalled the committee's decision "admirable.