[/floatl]Reuters: Japanese takes lead in straw poll for IAEA helm
A Japanese diplomat became the clear frontrunner to take over the U.N. nuclear agency in a straw poll held on Tuesday but his margin was not enough to banish prospects of another election stalemate. Japan's Yukiya Amano drew almost twice as much support as the next among four rivals, South Africa's Abdul Samad Minty. But he again fell short of a two-thirds majority needed for victory, as he had in an inconclusive election three months ago. The test poll improved Amano's chances of succeeding the International Atomic Energy Agency's director-general, Mohamed ElBaradei, but another impasse in the next election round set for July 2 remained a strong possibility, diplomats said. This could prolong the race for months and cause disarray at the helm of the U.N. nuclear watchdog. Meanwhile the fate of a wobbling nuclear non-proliferation regime, which the IAEA is supposed to maintain, is hanging in the balance...more...
