Russia calls for joint anti-terror efforts with US

MOSCOW - Russia and the United States should joint hands fighting against terrorism, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.

The Russian diplomat sent a message to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton following the death of US ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens, 52, who was killed as protesters angry over a US-made film insulting the Prophet Mohammed waged attacks on the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Lavrov "was shocked by the tragic death" of Stevens and strongly condemned the crime, said the Russian ministry.

The incident proved again "the need for joint efforts of our countries, the entire international community in combating the evil of terrorism in all its manifestations," Lavrov said in the message.

Hundreds of angry protesters stormed the US consulate building in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi Tuesday night, using rocket propelled grenades when Stevens, who was on a short trip to Benghazi, along with a group of embassy employees went to the consulate to try to evacuate staff. He died of suffocation as a result of smoke inhalation, according to media reports. Three other Americans were also killed in the attacks.

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