MOSCOW. Oct 24 (Interfax) - Moscow urges all Lebanese political groups and religious communities to do their best to prevent turmoil caused by a deadly bombing in Beirut on October 19 from setting off chaos in the Arab country.
"Reaffirming its support for the sovereignty, independence, unity and stability of Lebanon, Russia urges all leading Lebanese political and religious forces, both pro-government groups and the opposition, to show restraint, keep the situation within political and legal boundaries, stay in peace with one another and unify in the face of the shared threat of destabilization of statehood and chaos," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on its website, www.mid.ru.
"The situation in Lebanon, having sharply exacerbated after the terrorist act in the Ashrafiyah district in Beirut on October 19, remains tense. The Lebanese leadership, the army and other security structures have taken measures to prevent the escalation of unrest and cut short attempts to destabilize the situation in the country," it said.
"We take a positive attitude to the moves of the president of the Lebanese Republic, Michel Suleiman, and the government of the country to normalize the situation, including the initiative to call an early session of national dialogue - a mechanism that has proven to provide effective solutions to problems on the Lebanese agenda," the ministry said.
Eight people, including Wissam al-Hassan, head of the intelligence branch of the Internal Security Forces, were killed and 78 injured in the October 19 attack.
Hassan's funeral on Sunday grew into mass protests against Prime Minister Najib Mikati and against the government of neighboring Syria.
There were armed clashes between Sunnis and Shias in Beirut's predominantly Sunni district of Tariq al-Jadidah on Sunday and Monday, and unidentified gunmen opened fire on a group of soldiers. Hassan's murder also sparked serious religious clashes in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli.