UNITED NATIONS, March 6: Russia is mounting pressure on Kofi Annan to name a Russian to a top post in the commission which performs arms inspections in Iraq, diplomatic sources have revealed.Such a move would significantly increase Moscow's influence over efforts to determine whether Iraq has complied with UN orders to destroy long-range missiles and mass destruction weapons. The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the proposal was made in a letter on Wednesday to Annan from Russia's UN Ambassador, Sergey Lavrov. In the letter, Lavrov proposed that Annan appoint a Russian as a second Deputy Chairman of the Commission headed by Richard Butler, an Australian. He has one deputy chairman American Charles Butler.Lavrov refused to comment on the report, and officials of the Commission said they were unaware of the letter. After Iraq expelled American members of the inspection team last fall, the Russians recommended a reorganization of UNSCOM to broaden its international composition. TheRussians recommended during an emergency meeting of the UNSCOM board of directors last November that five deputy chairmen be designated to help oversee the inspection programme. But the proposal was withdrawn for lack of support among the 21-member board.
