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IAEA Selects Japanese Diplomat as Director General

Written: 2009-07-03 12:39:52Updated: 0000-00-00 00:00:00

IAEA Selects Japanese Diplomat as Director General

Japan's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency has been selected as the fifth director general of the organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Veteran diplomat Yukiya Amano won 23 out of 35 votes cast by the members of the IAEA Board of Governors, defeating Abdul Samad Minty of South Africa and another candidate in the final round of balloting.

The board met at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna Tuesday.

In a March vote, the Japanese ambassador took first place but failed to win the required two-thirds majority of votes cast.

The next IAEA head promised to pursue the political neutrality of the organization. Amano’s candidacy received strong backing from the U.S. and other Western countries who believe that Iran’s civilian nuclear program is a cover to build atomic weapons.

He will succeed the incumbent Director General Mohamed ElBaradei of Egypt whose current term runs through November.

The new director general's tenure will begin December first.

Amano is the Permanent Representative and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to International Organizations in Vienna, and a member of the IAEA Board of Governors.

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