IAEA Acting Chief Has Slight Lead After 2nd Vote On Agency's New Head - Russian Envoy

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Acting Director General Cornel Feruta has come first in the second round of secret balloting on the agency's new head, winning one more vote than his opponent, Argentina's Permanent Representative Rafael Grossi, Mikhail Ulyanov, the permanent representative of Russia to international organizations in Vienna, said on Monday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st October, 2019) The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Acting Director General Cornel Feruta has come first in the second round of secret balloting on the agency's new head, winning one more vote than his opponent, Argentina's Permanent Representative Rafael Grossi, Mikhail Ulyanov, the permanent representative of Russia to international organizations in Vienna, said on Monday.

"On 21 October #IAEA board of Governors moved from straw polls to next stage of elections- secret balloting. After the first round of balloting the number of candidates for the post of Director General reduced from 3 to 2: C.

Feruta(Romania) and R. Grossi(Argentina)," Ulyanov tweeted.

As a result, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization Lassina Zerbo was eliminated.

"As the result of second round of balloting C.Feruta took the lead although the distance between him and Amb.Grossi is minimal- 17:16," Ulyanov added.

According to the diplomat, the date of the next vote has not been determined yet.