Mohamed ElBaradie
Born: June 17, 1942
An Egyptian Diplomat And The Director General Of The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), An Inter-Governmental Organization Under The Auspices Of The United Nations. Elbaradei And The IAEA Were Jointly Awarded The Nobel Peace Prize In 2005.
Early Career
Elbaradei Earned A Bachelor's Degree In Law From The University Of Cairo In 1962 And A Doctorate In International Law At The New York University School Of Law In 1974. His Diplomatic Career Began In 1964 In The Egyptian Ministry Of Foreign Affairs, Where He Served On Two Occasions In The Permanent Missions Of Egypt To The United Nations In New York And In Geneva. In 1980, He Became A Senior Fellow In Charge Of The Tariat, Holding A Number Of High-Level Positions. Before His Current Position Of Director General, He Has Been The Agency's Legal Adviser (1984 To 1993) And Assistant Director General For External Relations (1993 To 1997).
Elbaradei Is Also A Member Of The International Law Association And The American Society Of International Law. He Is Married To Aida Elkachef, A Kindergarten Teacher At Vienna International School, And Has Two Children, Laila And Mostafa.
Controversy
Dr. Mohamed Elbaradei With The U.S. Secretary Of State, Colin Powell, On January 10, 2003.
Elbaradei Has Served As The Director General For The IAEA For Two Terms Since December 1, 1997, And Is Now Set For A Third Term After The Current US Administration Reluctantly Reversed Its Opposition To Him In June 2005. According To The Washington Post.
Http://Www.Washingtonpost.Com/Wp-Dyn/Articles/A57928-2004Dec11.Html
Several Intercepts Were Made On Elbaradei's Phone Calls Concerning
Iran's Nuclear Program In Which The Bush Administration Hoped To Find Information That Would Help To Remove Elbaradei As Director Of The IAEA. Elbaradei Has Questioned The U.S. Rationale For The War In Iraq Since The 2003 Iraq Disarmament Crisis, When He, Along With Hans Blix, Led A Team Of UN Weapons Inspectors In Iraq, Seeking Evidence Of Weapons Of Mass Destruction. He Has Also Been Accused By The US Of Having A Lenient Approach In Dealing With Iranian Program
Http://Www.Timesonline.Co.Uk/Article/0,,3-1816612,00.Html
In Light Of Revelations That Iran Has Recently Begun Reprocessing Nuclear Material. There Is No Rival Candidate For The Upcoming Director General's Term, Though The U.S. Tried To Convince
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer To Run For The Job (He Declined). The Decision Of The IAEA Board Of Governors Was Still Postponed Through May 2005.. On 9 June, The U.S. Dropped Its Objections After A Meeting Between US Secretary Of State Condoleezza Rice And Elbaradei, Which Opened The Way To Approval By The IAEA Board Of Governors Meeting On 13 June.
Http://News.Bbc.Co.Uk/2/Hi/Americas/4075496.StmOctober Surprise
Ten Days Before The 2004 U.S. Presidential Election, A Query By Elbaradei About 377 Tons Of Missing Explosives In Iraq Surfaced In What Many Pundits Had Referred To As The Then-Expected "October Surprise". The IAEA So Far Only Has Verified In Its Paperwork That 219 Tons Of Explosive Materials Were At Al Qa'qaa And Surrounding Facilities. The U.S. Military Had Destroyed An Estimated 250 Tons Of Explosives.
2005 Nobel Peace Prize
On October 7, 2005, Elbaradei And The IAEA Itself Were Announced As Joint Recipients Of The Nobel Peace Prize For Their "Efforts To Prevent Nuclear Energy From Being Used For Military Purposes And To Ensure That Nuclear Energy For Peaceful Purposes Is Used In The Safest Possible Way," Implicitly Disavowing Criticism Of Them Since The Second Allied-Iraqi Gulf War, And Especially The Failed U.S.-Led Attempt Not To Prolong His Term In Office. Elbaradei Donated All His Winnings To Building Orphanages In His Home City Of Cairo. The IAEA's Winnings Will Be Spent On Removing Landmines From Developing Countries.
Quotes
· Elbaradei Writing The Op-Ed Essay Titled Saving Ourselves From Self-Destruction In The New York Times On February 12, 2004:
"We Must Abandon The Unworkable Notion That It Is Morally Reprehensible For Some Countries To Pursue Weapons Of Mass Destruction, Yet Morally Acceptable For Others To Rely On Them For Security - And Indeed To Continue To Refine Their Capacities And Postulate Plans For Their Use." [6]
Http://Www.Iaea.Org/Newscenter/Statements/2004/Ebnyt20040212.Html
· Elbaradei Explained To The Cairo Times (October 23, 2003):
"You Remember That Book Called 'All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten?' Well That's Very Much True. I Find A Lot In Common In The Way I Manage Things And The Way She [Aida Elkachef] Manages Three-Year Olds. We Humans Are The Same When We Are Three Years Old And When We Are 50!"
Http://Www.Geocities.Com/Galianoboy/IAEA.Html
Elbaradei Stated In The New York Times (February 12, 2004):
"If The World Does Not Change Course, We Risk Self-Destruction."
By Rania El Saadawy
References
Http://Nobelprize.Org/Nobel_Prizes/Peace/Laureates/2005/Elbaradei-Lecture.Html
Http://Www.Geocities.Com/Seo.Iverni/Mohamedelbaradei.Html
Http://Www.Iaea.Org/About/DGC/Index.Html
Http://Www.Law.Nyu.Edu/Pubs/Magazine/Autumn2006/Documents/Elbaradei.Pdf
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4320990.stm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A57928-2004Dec11.html
http://www.nysun.com/article/35728