UN Condemns Embassy Attacks

The U.N. Security Council on Thursday strongly condemned the attacks by protesters on embassies in the Serbian capital, saying host governments like Belgrade must honor their obligation to protect diplomatic premises.

The council unanimously condemned "in the strongest terms the mob attacks against embassies in Belgrade" and said that it welcomed "the steps taken by the Serbian authorities to restore order and protect diplomatic property and personnel, according to a statement read by the current council president, Panama's U.N. Ambassador Ricardo Arias.

An earlier draft that Russia, Serbia's traditional ally, had sought included language that would have praised Serbia for the protection it was providing.

U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said he was "outraged" at Thursday's attack on the U.S. Embassy, where masked men set fire to an office, sending flames shooting up the side of the building.

The neighboring Croatian Embassy also was targeted by the same group of protesters and smaller groups attacked police posts outside the Turkish and British embassies in another part of the city but were beaten back.