The chief United Nations weapons inspector, Richard Butler, is in Moscow for talks with Russian officials.

It comes ahead of an expected visit to the Russian capital early next week by the Iraqi deputy prime minister, Tariq Aziz.

He's due to meet the prime minister, Yevgeny Primakov, and the foreign minister, Igor Ivanov.

Correspondents say it's not clear if the timing of the two visits is coincidental, but they say Russia may be trying to act as an intermediary between Iraq and the UN Security Council.

Baghdad has refused to hand over a document about its chemical weapons programme which Mr Butler had demanded by the end of last month.