by Jocelyne Zablit
PARIS, Sept 1 (AFP) - World leaders and governments on Wednesday condemned the hostage taking of more than 100 people, including children, at a school in southern Russia as the UN Security Council prepared to meet to discuss the spiralling violence in the country.
"We condemn in the strongest terms the callous hostage taking of children, parents and teachers" in the southern republic of North Ossetia, the US State Department said, reacting to the fourth terror act in Russia within a week.
The hostage drama unfolded just hours after a subway attack on Tuesday by a female suicide bomber killed nine people and injured 51 others. It was claimed by the same Chechen group that said it downed two planes in Russia last week in which 90 people were killed.
In New York, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said he was appalled to learn of the latest attack and urged the hostage takers to release their captives.
"The secretary general calls for the immediate release of the children, their parents and teachers, and condemns in the strongest terms this criminal act directed against the most vulnerable members of society," his spokesman said in a statement.
The UN Security Council said it would meet Wednesday at 5:00 pm (2100 GMT) to discuss the violence.
In Paris, French President Jacques Chirac denounced the hostage-taking and the subway attack saying that "no cause can justify such acts".
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said he was "horrified" to learn of the subway attack and hostage drama and offered his condolences to the Russian government.
"No cause can justify such wicked acts of terrorism," he said in a message to Putin. "My thoughts, and the thoughts of the British people, are with you and the Russian people at this difficult time."
In Tehran, the government issued a statement after the subway killings saying: "Iran strongly condemns this inhuman act. Killing innocent citizens is an unethical action and is contrary to international norms."
The White House said the subway attack was a stark reminder of the struggle the United States and Russia shared in combating terrorism.
"As we approach the third anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, these attacks in Russia remind us of the common cause we share with Russia, and our other friends and allies, in combating this scourge and bringing the terrorists themselves to justice," spokesman Scott McClellan said in a statement
"These attacks will only strengthen the US-Russian partnership in the war on terror," McClellan vowed.
In Brussels, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization expressed its support for the Russian government.
"NATO condemns in the strongest possible terms both the bombing yesterday in Moscow and the hostage-taking that is currently underway today in North Ossetia," said NATO spokesman James Appathurai.
"The alliance does combat and will contine to combat terrorism, and works with Russia to combat this scourge and will continue to do so," he added.
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini`s office said he had called his Russian counterpart Serguei Lavrov to express his support.
"Such acts are, if at all possible, even more odious when they concern innocent young people," Frattini was quoted as telling Lavrov, in reference to the school hostage drama.
The Commonwealth of Independent States, which includes all the former Soviet republics minus the Baltics, called for the immediate release of the school hostages.
"Only hardcore criminals, completely devoid of any human feelings or compassion are capable of committing such an act against schoolchildren," Ukranian President Leonid Kuchma, whose country presides over the CIS, said.
The Greek government, which is to host Putin during an official visit at the weekend, also said it supported Moscow`s fight against terrorism.
"Greece categorically condemns the suicide attack in Moscow ... and offers its condolences to the families and stresses its support to Russia in all actions aimed at fighting terrorism," foreign ministry spokesman Georges Koumoutzakos said.
In Ankara, a foreign ministry statement said Turkey remained convinced that such attacks were fruitless.
"Turkey vehemently condemns any terrorist action, whatever the motive, and is convinced that such action will lead nowhere," the statement said.