UNITED NATIONS, June 3 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan denounced Saturday the slaying of a Russian diplomat by Iraqi insurgents and urged the released of four other kidnapped Russian diplomats.

    "The secretary-general condemns the murder today in Baghdad of a Russian diplomat and the kidnapping of four other Russian diplomats," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

    "He offers his condolences to the family of the Russian diplomat and to the people and government of Russia. He calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the four kidnapped diplomats," the spokesman added.

    "The secretary-general deplores this attack and calls for the cessation of all such acts of violence. He also calls on the Iraqi government and the multinational force (MNF) to take all necessary measures to counter the present wave of violence."

    Earlier the UN Security Council said it condemned the attack "in the strongest possible terms."

    "Members of the Security Council reaffirm their support for the Iraqi people, their condemnation of terrorist attacks in Iraq, and reiterate their determination to combat all forms of terrorism," the 15-state body said.

    Media reports said gunmen attacked Saturday a vehicle of the Russian embassy in an upscale district of Baghdad, fatally wounding one Russian diplomat and abducting the remaining four. Enditem