The previous mission chief and deputy chief were stripped of their visas in April.

He was dead, as was the Deputy Chief of Mission.

"This was not a direct speech to the West," said a diplomatic mission chief whose Government is part of the military alliance confronting Iraq.

From 1964 to 1966, he was Deputy Chief of Mission in Guinea.

In 1999 he returned to Turkey, as Deputy Chief of Mission.

The opposition Syrian National Council said it was going to ask the organisation to change the mission chief.

He was then Deputy Chief of Mission in Manila from 1966 to 1970.

From 1973 to 1976, he was Deputy Chief of Mission in Lima.

He was in Moscow from 1996 to 2001, serving the last two years as Deputy Chief of Mission.

From 1978 to 1981 he was Deputy Chief of Mission in Liberia.