Russian ambassador to UN died of heart attack

New York March 11 (IANS) The Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin died of a heart attack with no signs of foul play a senior official said here.

As outlined in formal requests from the US Department of State Ambassador Churkin s diplomatic immunity survives his death. Further questions concerning this matter should be directed to the Department of State Julie Bolcer a spokeswoman for the city s Office of Chief Medical Examiner told CNN on Friday night.

However earlier on Friday the office said that it would not publicly disclose the cause and manner of Churkin s death because of diplomatic immunity laws.

Churkin died in New York City on February 20 a day before his 65th birthday.

He spent over 40 years in the diplomatic service and headed the Russian Mission to the UN for more than a decade.

--IANS
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