November 20, 2003	Thursday	Ramazan 24, 1424

UNITED NATIONS, Nov 19: Under pressure from Washington, Mexico’s ambassador to the United Nations has been dismissed after saying the United States regards Mexico as a second-class country, said the New York Times on Wednesday.

The paper said that the ambassador, Adolfo Aguilar Zinser, was forced out under pressure from his government and from Washington, after refusing to retract his criticisms of the United States at a face-to-face confrontation on Monday night with Mexico’s foreign minister, Luis Ernesto Derbez.

Mr Derbez issued a terse statement overnight saying the ambassador “will be relieved of his post on Jan. 1.” He announced no replacement. Mr Aguilar Zinser said by telephone that he had no public comment on his dismissal, which came a week after a speech he made at a Mexico City university.