Vienna - Neither of the two candidates in the election to succeed International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohammed ElBaradei reached a decisive majority in the first rounds of the poll held Thursday, the agency has said.

The favoured candidate, Japanese diplomat and disarmament expert Yukiya Amano (61) however emerged in the lead, beating rival South African Abdul Samad Minty
(69) in the three voting rounds, without achieving the necessary 24 votes out of 35 members of the IAEA's board.

If neither candidate achieves the necessary majority in further ballots on Friday, new candidates to succeed ElBaradei can be named. The term of the Egyptian Nobel Prize-winner expires in November. (dpa)