Vienna - International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohamed ElBaradei has cancelled interviews with the BBC, reacting to the British broadcaster's refusal to air a charity plea for people in the Gaza Strip, his spokeswoman said Wednesday.

"He believes this decision violates the rules of basic human decency which are there to help vulnerable people irrespective of who is right or wrong," IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said.

The BBC says its impartiality and objectivity would be endangered by appearing to take sides in the recent Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Egyptian IAEA Director General is currently in Davos, Switzerland, where he planned to talk to the publicly-funded broadcaster at the World Economic Forum.

The funds plea - issued by the Disasters Emergency Committee comprising high-profile charity organisations - has been aired by ITV and Channel Five, but not by the BBC and ITV. (dpa)