NEW YORK, Sept 21: US State Department officials on Tuesday scoffed at a British newspaper report that Secretary of State Colin Powell is the main candidate to be the next US ambassador to Britain.

Officials said the idea that Mr Powell would leave his current post for the job as US envoy to Britain was unrealistic as it would constitute a demotion. "We've been laughing about it," said one official attending the UN session with Mr Powell.

"I think the London media is smoking dope on this one," a second department official said in distinctly un diplomatic terms. "You don't go from being secretary of state to being an ambassador, even to the Court of St James. "That would be a demotion," the official said.

London's Evening Standard newspaper reported that Mr Powell, who is widely expected to stand down as secretary of state if President Bush wins a second term in November, would be offered the London post. -AFP