Vienna - Members of the International Atomic Energy Agency unanimously designated Japan's Yukiyo Amano as the next IAEA chief on Friday, ending a rift between developing and industrialized countries over his nomination. With the official confirmation of his election on Thursday, the Japanese diplomat is now set to assume his post in December, succeeding Mohamed ElBaradei, who retires as director general after 12 years in office.
Amano, Japan's ambassador to the United Nations in Vienna, narrowly won a run-off vote against South African diplomat Abdul Samad Minty.
Developing countries backing Minty had for several months blocked Amano's election.
But on Friday, developing countries grouped in the Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77 issued statements expressing their support for Amano, 62, who is seen as closely aligned with the United States.
Minty congratulated Amano, and offered his country's support: "Our future objective is to assist in fostering a co-operative spirit and to focus on what unites us, namely; creating a better life for all free from the threat of the use of nuclear weapons."
Meanwhile, the Japanese government put high hopes in the next IAEA leader.
"We hope that Amano would tackle the nuclear issues in the areas of non-proliferation and disarmament," top government spokesman Takeo Kawamura said in Tokyo.
