No news of diplomats kidnapped in Iraq, Russian foreign ministry says

Photo: No news of diplomats kidnapped in Iraq, Russian foreign ministry says

Russia's Foreign Ministry said Monday that it had no news of the four Russian diplomats kidnapped in Baghdad during the weekend.

The foreign ministry's press service declined to give any further details. But the Interfax news agency quoted Igor Markov, a spokesman for the Russian Embassy in the Iraqi capital, as saying that the kidnappers had not made any contact with Russian officials yet.

A foreign ministry official in Moscow said Russian authorities were using all possible contacts to try and free the envoys, Interfax reported.

"We remain in constant contact with the Iraqi authorities and all sides that could help free the members of staff of our diplomatic mission. Every possible means is being used," the unnamed Russian official was quoted as saying.

The foreign ministry has not identified the missing envoys, the AP reports.