Argentine's Representative in Vienna May Be Appointed as IAEA Director General - Source

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Argentine's permanent representative to international organisations in Vienna, Rafael Grossi, may be appointed as the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a diplomatic source in Vienna said on Monday.

"As of now, there is information about Rafael Grossi's candidacy," the source said.

The IAEA Secretariat said in a statement earlier in the day that the organisation's director general, Yukiya Amano, had passed away at the age of 72. He was expected to submit a notice of resignation on Monday.

According to IAEA procedure, the agency's board of directors is responsible for appointing the general director. At the same time, each candidate must first be nominated for this post from a particular country and receive the support of the majority of the IAEA participants.

Subsequently, the board of governors' candidate is approved at the agency's General Conference, which takes place in the fall of each year. The next, 63rd session of the General Conference of the IAEA is scheduled for 16-20 September.