Butler's dismissal demanded

United Nations - The Russian Foreign Minister, Mr Igor Ivanov, yesterday wrote to the UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, to demand the dismissal of the leading UN weapons inspector for Iraq, diplomats said. The letter says that the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) chairman, Mr Richard Butler, is "a liability" and should be replaced by somebody "polite," the diplomats said. Russia has been publicly calling for the Australian diplomat's dismissal since the US and British air strikes on Iraq last month which were triggered by Mr Butler's negative report to the UN Security Council.