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Last update - 07:29 04/07/2009
Incoming IAEA chief: No evidence Iran seeking nuclear weapons
By News Agencies
Tags: Israel news, nuclear, Iran 

The incoming head of the United Nation's nuclear watchdog said on Friday he did not see any hard evidence that Iran was trying to gain the ability to develop nuclear weapons.

"I don't see any evidence in IAEA official documents about this," Japan's Yukiya Amano told Reuters in his first direct comment on Iran's nuclear program since his election to head the International Atomic Energy Agency, when asked whether he believed Iran was seeking a nuclear weapons capability.

Current IAEA head Mohammed ElBaradei told the BBC last month it was his "gut feeling" that Iran was seeking the ability to produce nuclear arms, if it desired, as an "insurance policy" against perceived threats from neighboring countries or the United States.
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"I'm not going to be a 'soft' director general or a 'tough' director general," Amano told Reuters, when asked how he would approach issues like Iran and Syria, which are both subject to IAEA probes.

Earlier Friday, IAEA members unanimously designated Amano as the organization's next director general, 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 Mohammed 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, saying that "our future objective is to assist in fostering a cooperative 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 will tackle the nuclear issues in the areas of non-proliferation and disarmament," top government spokesman Takeo Kawamura said in Tokyo.

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      1.   sure, right 21:00  |  steve 03/07/09
      2.   Incoming IAEA Chief 21:02  |  Harold 03/07/09
      3.   That is good to know 21:16  |  Chris Linthwaite 03/07/09
      4.   I agree with both 21:19  |  Mark Lincoln 03/07/09
      5.   As El Baradie leaves 21:22  |  Mark Lincoln 03/07/09
      6.   I can`t believe 21:26  |  dani.a 03/07/09
      7.   Great start, Mr Amano! 21:27  |  BDS 03/07/09
      8.   bad news for Israel 21:30  |  KMS 03/07/09
      9.   question for new IAEA chief 22:30  |  vik 03/07/09
      10.   inspect all 22:43  |  Space 03/07/09
      11.   Another idiot at the top of a useless intitution. 23:58  |  Fortuna Benmayor 03/07/09
      12.   The IAEA will be the last to know 00:05  |  Peter Williams 04/07/09
      13.   They are too busy torturing their own citizens to build nukes 00:33  |  Avi 04/07/09
      14.   No evidence that gravity exists 00:34  |  Avi 04/07/09
      15.   vik and the Bush Realiity 00:45  |  Mark Lincoln 04/07/09
      16.   Lets not jump here - remember Sadam? 00:53  |  David 04/07/09
      17.   Space-d 00:54  |  Mark Lincoln 04/07/09
      18.   Amona would be held responsible if failing? Bibi+Dagan for sure! 01:09  |  Jew-and Bookburner 04/07/09
      19.   Quick, start the smear campaign against Amano! 01:57  |  Atom 04/07/09
      20.   MR. Lincolns Thoughts 03:12  |  Rambo 04/07/09
      21.   Avi and physics 03:44  |  Mark Lincoln 04/07/09
      22.   Curious how many with no credentials 03:58  |  Mark Lincoln 04/07/09
      23.   TAnd Amadinhejad won the election fair and square. 04:41  |  Murray of Montreal 04/07/09
      24.   Define stupid Rambo? 06:24  |  Mark Lincoln 04/07/09
      25.   #9 06:37  |  understand 04/07/09
      26.   #11, Fortuna Benmayor 06:41  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 04/07/09
      27.   indrajaya says: "Iran is eager to acquire nukes". i believe indra 07:09  |  Vittorio 04/07/09
      28.   to Peter Williams #12: You are absolutely correct. 07:12  |  Vittorio 04/07/09
      29.   The Japanese people know first hand the horror of nuclear weapons 07:43  |  Maureen Ann 04/07/09
      30.   INCOMING IAEA CHIEF 08:00  |  Avraham 04/07/09
      31.   Iran?s nuclear threat and the West. 08:34  |  Lane 04/07/09
      32.   Promising 09:05  |  Jos van Klaveren 04/07/09
      33.   Already has enough Uranium. Why More? 09:21  |  Wile E Coyote 04/07/09
      34.   Let`s ask another question of Ahmedinijad. 09:33  |  Tzfonit 04/07/09
      35.   Proof 10:30  |  Serge 04/07/09
      36.   watchdog 11:37  |  oz 04/07/09
      37.   "I don`t see any evidence in IAEA official documents about this" 11:47  |  Yonatan 04/07/09
      38.   He sees no evidence 11:49  |  Yonatan 04/07/09
      39.   To Rambo in Washington 11:53  |  David James Vickery 04/07/09
      40.   A Question for David James Vickery 12:38  |  Tzfonit 04/07/09
      41.   we will know 13:40  |  patriot 04/07/09
      42.   # 9 vik 13:42  |  Axel 04/07/09
      43.   How rude of him! 13:45  |  Axel 04/07/09
      44.   #26 Tzfonit 14:13  |  BDS 04/07/09
      45.   new iaea chief 14:48  |  Robert 04/07/09
      46.   BDS, Ahmedinijad and his referendum 15:12  |  Tzfonit 04/07/09
      47.   Yonatan and `absence of evidence` #29-30 15:27  |  Roo 04/07/09
      48.   Tzfonit so Irgun and stern were terrorists right 16:09  |  Zero tolerance. 04/07/09
      49.   Yonatan and `absence of evidence` #29-30 17:08  |  Roo 04/07/09
      50.   #36 Tzfonit 17:42  |  BDS 04/07/09
      51.   Stolen Bomb Designs and Building Delivery Systems doesn`t count? 18:02  |  UsedToPostHere 04/07/09
      52.   WMD were Never Necessarily Nukes 18:07  |  UsedToPostHere 04/07/09
      53.   Where do you get your information Wile? 18:52  |  Mark Lincoln 04/07/09
      54.   re: Space 19:01  |  UsedToPostHere 04/07/09
      55.   Why ask Ahmedinijad Tzfonit? 19:03  |  Mark Lincoln 04/07/09
      56.   WMD were Never Necessarily Nukes - UTPH 19:06  |  Mark Lincoln 04/07/09
      57.   #51 No, actually, it doesn`t count, UTPH 01:45  |  Johnboy 05/07/09
      58.   re: Mark Lincoln 01:58  |  UsedToPostHere 05/07/09
      59.   re:Johnboy 18:01  |  UsedToPostHere 05/07/09
      60.   Israel`s nukes must be confronted 06:21  |  John 18/10/09
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