Japan's Amano elected head of U.N. nuclear watchdog

By Mark Heinrich and Sylvia Westall

VIENNA (Reuters) - Japanese diplomat Yukiya Amano was narrowly elected the next head of the U.N. atomic watchdog Thursday and he vowed to tackle rich-poor tensions weakening the fight against the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Challenges for the holder of the sensitive post include Iran's expanding uranium enrichment program, blocked investigations into alleged military nuclear activity in Iran and Syria, and North Korea's atomic tests.

Amano, supported largely by industrialized nations, defeated South Africa's Abdul Samad Minty in a sixth round of balloting after five inconclusive votes. It was his second try for the top job at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) following an election stalemate in March.

He succeeds Nobel Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, who retires in November after 12 turbulent years.

Amano, 62, managed to win the required 2/3rds majority of the governing board members who expressed a preference, with 23 votes and one crucial abstention in the 35-nation meeting.

"Everyone looked a little glum when the result was announced," said one European diplomat in the closed-door session. "There was total silence," said another diplomat.

Diplomats said some European members voted for Amano only reluctantly, disappointed that a more inclusive, compromise candidate did not enter the field.

Poorer nations regarded Amano as a tool of major powers pushing the IAEA to get tougher on proliferators, while using such concerns as an excuse to hinder the sharing of nuclear technology for development purposes.

Diplomats said Russia told other board members privately it would be "unacceptable" if Amano were elected by the bare minimum margin. This would harden resentment that could undermine his authority, it said.

Amano said he would balance IAEA resources between anti-proliferation inspections and fostering the safe use of nuclear energy for modernization and medicine.

"As a national from Japan, I will do my utmost to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. To do that, the solidarity of all the member states, countries of the north, from the south, from east and west, is absolutely necessary," he told reporters.

Japan is the only country to have been attacked with nuclear weapons, by the United States, at the end of World War Two.

WOOS SCEPTICAL DEVELOPING NATIONS

"I will do my utmost to ...ensure sustainable development through the peaceful use of nuclear energy," he said in a nod to developing nations.

Iran has exploited rich-poor tensions over IAEA priorities by arguing Western pressure on it to scrap its nuclear energy campaign is aimed at stunting its development. But Iran's curbs on IAEA inspections have raised suspicions of a bomb agenda.