Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Pakistan elected Chairman of IAEA Board of Governors

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad,Sept 27,IRNA -- Pakistan was elected Monday as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Foreign Ministry said.

Pakistan’s Dr. Ansar Parvez, who is Chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, will replace the Ambassador of Malaysia Mr. Dato’ Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yaakob, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

The election, by consensus, will be for the year 2011-2012.

Pakistan last served as Chairman of the IAEA Board in 1962-63 and 1986-87.

The 35-member Board is the executive arm of the IAEA. It is the highest policy-making organ of the Agency.

“Pakistan’s election by a consensus is an acknowledgement of the positive advances it has made in the nuclear field,” the statement said, adding, “It is also a recognition of its active role in the Agency”.

The Board will be dealing with a string of important issues this year. These include the Medium Term Strategy for 2012-2017, the Technical Cooperation Fund targets for the biennium 2012-2013 and the regular budget of the Agency.

Pakistan’s candidature had been unanimously endorsed by the Middle East and South Asia Group to which Pakistan belongs. It was unanimously approved by the Board this morning, the Foreign Ministry said.