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Russia condemns attacks on U.S. diplomatic missions in N. Africa

12 September 2012 20:57 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Moscow condemned the attacks against U.S. diplomatic missions in Egypt and Libya, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

"Moscow is deeply concerned by the events in Cairo and especially in Benghazi, which resulted in the tragic death of four American diplomats, including the U.S. Ambassador to Libya," the ministry said in a statement.

Russia strongly condemned the attacks against diplomats and diplomatic missions and took them as acts of terrorism, the ministry said.

Hundreds of protesters, angered by an alleged U.S.-made movie that insults the Prophet Mohammed, stormed the U.S. consulate building in the eastern Libyan city Tuesday night. U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens died in the conflict.

The U.S. ambassador, who was on a short trip to Benghazi, died from suffocation as a result of smoke inhalation, after protestors set fires on the building, the pan-Arab Al-Jazeera TV reported Wednesday. Three staffers were also killed during the fierce clashes.

Also on Tuesday, several thousand people protested in front of the U.S. embassy in the Egyptian capital. Some protesters pulled down the American flag, tore it up and burned it outside the embassy.

In line with the Vienna Convention on diplomatic and consular relations, foreign diplomats and consular agents enjoy immunity in the countries where they serve, the Russian ministry said.

"We urge authorities of the countries in the region to take all necessary measures to implement their obligations in order not to let such hostile actions against diplomats in these countries happen again," it said.