Stars give backing to chemical weapons inspector

The world of pop is uniting behind the director-general of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons who will …

The world of pop is uniting behind the director-general of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons who will be fired if the US government has its way.

Singer Robbie Williams, producer and arts impresario Brian Eno and artist Damien Hirst are among those lobbying British Foreign Secretary Mr Jack Straw to try to stop the sacking of Mr Jose Bustani.

The group believes the US wants the Brazilian diplomat to go because he insists the US should be subject to inspections and has tried to find a peaceful solution to the Iraq stand-off.

Allowing the US to have its way would destroy the credibility of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which is supposed to control their development, they say.

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The group wants the Foreign Secretary to protest at America's plans at a special meeting in the Hague.

Mr Eno told the BBC: "The best hope of stopping the US plan lies with the United Kingdom, whose support for the Chemical Weapons Convention has so far been impeccable.

"If the UK Government made a stand, there's a good chance that other members would fall in behind it.

Others backing the campaign include Dave Stewart, Joe Strummer, Salman Rushdie, George Monbiot, Peter Gabriel, Annie Lennox, Bianca Jagger and Jonathan Ross.