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VIENNA,Austria-The head of the U.N. nuclear agency canceled interviews with the BBC over its refusal to air an appeal for victims of the Gaza conflict, saying Wednesday that the decision violated "basic human decency."Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei added an influential voice to growing criticism of Britain's publicly funded broadcaster, which says airing the appeal would have damaged its impartiality in coverage of the conflict.ElBaradei's office said he had canceled scheduled interviews with BBC radio and World Service television because he believes the broadcaster's refusal to air the appeal "violates the rules of basic human decency which are there to help vulnerable people irrespective of who is right or wrong."ElBaradei's outspokenness on the issue is unusual for the head of a U.N agency whose mandate has nothing to do with the Middle East or humanitarian issues but it is in keeping with his record.The Egyptian-born diplomat, whose third and final term ends this year, has come under criticism from the U.S, and some other IAEA member nations in the past for comments on Iran, Iraq or other nations under examination for possible violations of nonproliferation commitments that they viewed as exceeding the agency's authority by straying from strictly technical issues.Sky News has joined BBC in deciding not to carry the charity appeal, but much of the criticism has focused on BBC because of its publicly funded status.The BBC said the network regretted ElBaradei's decision and "audiences around the world remain interested in what he has to say about a range of topics and we hope he will do an interview at another time."British lawmakers say that more than 110 of heir colleagues have endorsed motions criticizing the BBC's decision to keep the Gaza appeal off the air.British Prime Minister Gordon Brown refused to intervene in the controversy, telling the House of Commons Wednesday that "It is not for us to interfere with the independence of the BBC and of Sky."Associated Press writer Gregory Katz contributed to this report from London.
By GEORGE JAHN, Associated Press Writer
As in the days of Noah....
