The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said here Tuesday five candidates for its director-general post had failed to win two-thirds of the 35-member Board of Governors.Yukiya Amano of Japan gained 20 votes, Abdul Samad Minty of South Africa (11 votes), Luis Echavarri of Spain (four votes), and Ernest Petric of Slovenia and Jean-Pol Poncelet of Belgium, one each.
The unofficial vote was held in a secret session of the IAEA Board of Governors, according to an official IAEA release.
The candidates have been nominated by their respective governments in line with a process approved by the Board in October 2008. IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei's term of office expires on November 30, 2009. He has stated that he is not available for a fourth term of office.
The Chairperson of the Board of Governors, Ambassador Taous Feroukhi said the board would convene an official session on July 2 in order to elect a new IAEA head to succeed El-Baradei.