VIENNA, September 14 (RIA Novosti) - Yukiya Amano was approved on Monday as the next head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to succeed Mohamed ElBaradei from December.

The IAEA General Conference unanimously backed Amano, who in June gained a narrow majority of the agency's governing board after six rounds of voting.

ElBaradei welcomed Amano's appointment: "I trust that he will lead the agency with vision, impartiality and courage," he told the General Conference.

Shortly after the conference vote, Amano said the IAEA should balance its dual role in nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear energy.

"Merely being a 'nuclear watchdog' does not suffice," the Japanese diplomat said, adding that the spread of nuclear weapons and nuclear terrorism "is an increasing threat for the international community."

ElBaradei, who along with the organization itself was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005, is due to retire on the last day of November after 12 years in office.