MOSCOW LOBBIES FOR UN ADVISOR POST IN IRAQ. A U.S.

news service reported on April 30 that Moscow is trying to win the appointment of a Russian national as a special political adviser to the United Nations inspection program in Iraq. UN diplomats said that the proposal had been made in a letter to Richard Butler, the chairman of the UN Special Commission. The special adviser would likely play a major role in planning inspections and developing strategy for the inspection team. (AP, April 30)

Moscow’s latest efforts follow an unsuccessful attempt earlier this year to get a Russian named as one of Butler’s deputy chiefs. Currently the UNSCOM chairman has one deputy chief–Charles Duelfer–who is an American. More broadly, Moscow has sought in recent months to strengthen its role in the UN’s weapons inspection efforts in Iraq: submitting a list of Russian experts for inclusion on the UN weapons inspection teams, and calling for Russian aircraft to take part in UN overflights of Iraq. In making those proposals, Moscow has echoed Baghdad’s complaints that the UN weapons inspection effort is dominated by the United States and Britain.

PERSONNEL LOGJAM ATOP RUSSIA’S DEFENSE HIERARCHY.