Russia condemns Samara mosque blast in Iraq

Moscow, Jun 15 (UNI) Russia has condemned Wednesday's blast at a Shiite Iraqi shrine as a ''criminal provocation'' and called for restraint and stability in the country.

''The terrorists want to incite sectarian hatred'' in the country that is already divided on sectarian lines, and seek to ''further destabilize Iraq,'' the official spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry Mikhail Kamynin told reporters yesterday.

Mr Kamynin was referring to the incident in which bombers blew up the Al-Askari mosque of Shiite Imams Ali al-Hadi and Hassan al-Askari in the city of Samara, destroying two minarets besides a shrine whose golden dome was shattered in a similar attack last year, triggering the ongoing Sunni-Shiite violence.

Mr Kamynin said the anti-Sunni violence in the wake of the attack was ''unfortunate.'' ''The Iraqis need to demonstrate restraint and prudence. They must not give in to extremist provocations aimed at pulling the country into a bloody sectarian war,'' he stressed.

He said Russia would continue its role as a responsible player in Iraq, dedicated to stability, prosperity, independence and territorial integrity.

UNI