Web sites disabled prior to Nobel ceremony

SHANGHAI, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Several Western news Web sites apparently were blocked in China Thursday, one day before a Chinese man is to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

The news Web sites of CNN, BBC and Norwegian broadcaster NRK have been disabled in Shanghai as Liu Xiaobo, an imprisoned dissident who led a pro-democracy campaign in China, will be awarded the prize in absentia in Oslo, CNN reported.

The Chinese government said Western countries are trying to impose their own values on China.

CNN said its and BBC television broadcasts recently have gone dark repeatedly in China during news items about Liu's upcoming award -- then the broadcasts come back on.

In the weeks leading to the prize ceremony, Beijing has urged foreign governments to boycott the event and has repeatedly referred to Liu as a criminal, CNN reported.

The Nobel committee sent 65 invitations to foreign embassies in Oslo and indicated 19 countries had declined to attend Friday's ceremony for various reasons. Ukraine and the Philippines, which had initially declined, reversed their position for unknown reasons and will attend, CNN reported.

"It is a signal to China that it would be very important for China's future to combine economic development with political reforms and support for those in China fighting for basic human rights," said Thorbjoern Jagland, the chairman of the Nobel committee, adding the award to Liu was not intended as an insult to China.

"By awarding this year's Nobel Peace Prize to a criminal serving his sentence because of breaking Chinese law, the Norwegian Nobel Committee's move constitutes open support of illegal criminal activities in China and flagrant interference in China's judicial sovereignty. The erroneous decision not only has met with firm opposition by the entire Chinese nation, but is dismissed by the vast majority of countries upholding justice in the world," said Jiang Yu, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, adding she was unaware of any Internet problems.