IAEA approves Japan's Amano as next chief

Yukiya Amano has been formally appointed the next director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to succeed Mohamed ElBaradei.

Amano, who was chosen by the IAEA's 35-member board of governors in July, was approved by the 150 members of the UN nuclear watchdog on the first day of the agency's annual weeklong general conference on Monday.

Amano is to replace ElBaradei on December 1. He will serve the agency for four years.

"I humbly accept the appointment to this prominent post and express my sincere gratitude to the member states for their support and trust," said the 62-year-old Amano in his first address to the IAEA.

In his speech, Tokyo's envoy to the IAEA acknowledged ElBaradei "for his outstanding contribution to the agency during his 12-year tenure".

While Amano did not refer to Iran in his speech, the outgoing IAEA chief urged Iran to "engage substantively with the agency."

ElBaradei said that "a number of questions and allegations that cast doubt on the peaceful nature of (Iran's civilian nuclear) program are still outstanding," adding that these concerns are a matter of 'confidence-building' and can be easily overcome through 'dialogue'.

"I therefore welcome the offer of the US to initiate a dialogue with Iran, without preconditions and on the basis of mutual respect," he concluded.