VIENNA 31 December 2008 Applications close for Mohamed ElBaradei's job as chief of nuclear energy watchdog

The closing date for applications for the job of Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency is Dec 31. The successful candidate will be announced in Jun 2009. The present chief of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, whose term expires on 30 Nov 2009, has signalled that he won't seek re-election. His successor will inherit the disagreement in the 145-member watchdog agency over Iran's nuclear ambitions.

ElBaradei has headed the agency since 1997. He ran a six-year IAEA investigation of Iran and at times clashed with Western powers over suggestions he has been too lenient. The agency has not been able to find agreement within its ranks on how to respond to Tehran's refusal to suspend uranium-enrichment activities. The argument is complicated by a recent IAEA report on Iran that notes the absence of any evidence of military aspects of the nuclear program.

Yukiya Amano, Japan's current ambassador to the IAEA and other UN organisations in Vienna, and South Africa's ambassador, Abdul Samad Minty, have announced their intention of seeking his job. Amano says the world needs the agency needs to reinvigorate its fight against proliferators. Olli Heinonen, second behind ElBaradei's deputy at the IAEA; and Rogelio Pfirter, the Argentinian head of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in the Hague, are regarded as potential candidates.

According to a recent Reuters report on the 2008 IAEA Board of Governors meeting, Amano and Minty have drawn backing from within two distinct blocs on the board -- industrialized "nuclear have" nations and developing "nuclear have nots," so further candidates might be needed for consensus on the appointment of ElBaradei's successor. Oct/08

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Japan's Amano makes case to succeed IAEA's ElBaradei (Reuters 6 Oct 2008)
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