Amano to head IAEA

Victory for good sense: Amano Yukiya (Y. Amano) elected as IAEA Chief on the fourth ballot of this second attempt at selecting a new leader. **Kyoudou now reports *six* rounds of voting were required

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has finally overcome the resistance to his election by what had functionally become "block Amano" camp rather than an effective alternative.

The leadership battle is distracting from mounting challenges including the spread of nuclear arms capability, with North Korea and Iran magnifying concerns, and demands by developing nations for a share of nuclear technology they say would be for peaceful use but could raise proliferation risks.

Rich countries want the IAEA to get tougher on cases of suspected nuclear proliferation such as in Iran and Syria. Poor nations want more time and resources devoted to providing them with sensitive nuclear technology for peaceful uses.

Two other European candidates, Jean-Pol Poncelet, a Belgian executive at the French nuclear group Areva, and former Slovenian IAEA envoy Ernest Petric quit the race this week after drawing no support in a straw poll last month.

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Amano has drawn his support largely from industrialized countries and Minty from developing states.

Congratulations, Amano-san. May your work do good.