ElBaradei issues call to action

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- IAEA Director General Mohammad ElBaradei praised the political will to embrace nuclear disarmament but stressed the importance of diplomacy and development.

ElBaradei in his final address before the U.N. General Assembly in New York praised the international community for putting nuclear disarmament at the top of its list of priorities.

"Nuclear disarmament, which failed to make any headway in the two decades since the end of the Cold War, is now back at the top of the international agenda and there is reason to hope that we may see a breakthrough," he said.

He cautioned, however, that without increased development or funding, conflicts related to poor governance and poverty could create a situation where countries are tempted to develop a nuclear weapons program.

"I urge donor states to recognize the link between security, which we all seek, and development," he said. "Without development, there can be no security -- the reverse is also true."

He went on to describe a possible scenario where extremists gain control of a nuclear device or radioactive material as the greatest risk for the international community. He chastised world leaders, however, for not doing enough to support the International Atomic Energy Agency.

"It is disconcerting that nuclear security continues to be funded almost entirely from voluntary contributions, which come with many conditions attached and are both insufficient and unpredictable," he said. "Much more needs to be done."

The 35-member IAEA Board of Governors in July elected Yukiya Amano of Japan as ElBaradei's successor. ElBaradei's term ends Nov. 30.