The US objected to Jose Bustani's plans to encourage Iraq to join the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

But the US said the inspections envisaged by the Brazilian director-general would be too lenient.

The 145-member OPCW was formed in 1997 to oversee the implementation of a treaty banning the manufacture, stockpiling and use of chemical arms.

It has a similar watchdog role to that of the better known International Atomic Energy Agency in the nuclear field.

Washington contributes over 20% of the organisation's $60m annual budget.

Pressure

The proposal at a crisis meeting in The Hague called by the US was carried by 48 to seven, with 43 countries abstaining.

The Americans - who backed Mr Bustani's re-appointment just a year ago - accuse him of pursuing ill-conceived initiatives and of poor management.

But Mr Bustani's supporters say his efforts to get Iraq to sign up to the chemical weapons convention have angered the Americans, as it would weaken the case for a US attack to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

Washington opened a public campaign against Mr Bustani two months ago, less than a year after Secretary of State Colin Powell congratulated him for the achievements under his leadership.

The BBC defence correspondent says this episode is going to raise further concerns over US actions after similar American pressure, last week, led to the removal of the head of the United Nations climate control body, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

The United States has said it hopes the organisation will approve a new director-general very soon and expects the nominee to come from a developing country.

It would particularly welcome a person from Latin America, a spokeswoman said.