Bug#242660: Libgnome2-common fails to uninstall

[Peter Nuttall]

Package: libgnome2-common
Version: 2.4.0-10
 
when I attempt to uninstall libgnome2-common I get the following errors:

# apt-get remove libgnome2-common
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  libgnome2-common
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 to remove and 2 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B of archives.
After unpacking 2159kB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]
(Reading database ... 79022 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing libgnome2-common ...
Failed:
 Failed to delete "/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults/desktop/gnome/background": 
Directory not empty
Error syncing config data: Failed:
 Failed to sync XML cache contents to diskdpkg: error processing 
libgnome2-common (--remove):
 subprocess pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 libgnome2-common
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

My System is a debian unstable box running a custom 2.6.4 kernel. It is up to 
date as of the sending of this email. If I can be of any help in sorting this 
problem please let me know. 

Thanks

Peter