Anti-Syrian lawmaker Walid Eido, his elder 35-year-old son, two bodyguards and six passersby were killed in a powerful explosion that went off by the seafront, near a swimming pool and a military club, in northwest Beirut June 13.
"Moscow resolutely condemns this heinous crime, expresses its condolences to the families of the dead, and believes it is necessary to find and punish the perpetrators and organizers of this terrorist act," Mikhail Kamynin said.
The diplomat said the current tense situation in Lebanon is of grave concern to Russia, and added that "the new assassination June 13 unfortunately escalates Lebanon's internal situation."
"Under these circumstances, Moscow reaffirms its consistent support for Lebanon's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and supports all efforts made in the interests of an all-Lebanese accord and the provision of legality and constitutional order," Kamynin said.
Earlier Thursday, Amr Moussa, secretary general of the Arab League, said the foreign ministers of the 22-nation bloc would hold an emergency session in Cairo Friday to discuss the assassination of Eido, as well as the situation in Lebanon and Palestine as a whole.
The Gaza Strip has been swept by a new wave of armed conflict between the pro-presidential Fatah movement and Hamas militants since late last week. Over the past five days, more than 70 people have been killed, in the worst violence the region has seen since Hamas won parliamentary elections in early 2006.
