new york – A resolution presented Monday by Russia at the United Nations calling for an international investigation into the apparent sabotage last year of Nord Stream gas pipelines has failed to win Security Council support and led to more finger-pointing between the US and Russian envoys. .
“I think that after today’s vote, the suspicion of who is behind the act of sabotage on Nord Stream is only obvious,” said Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia.
Russia’s draft resolution received only three votes in favor – from itself, China and Brazil. The other 12 members of the Security Council abstained from voting. A motion for a resolution requires at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes from permanent members to be adopted.
“I would like to remind you of some basic facts, in the eyes of the whole world, the United States and its allies have done everything they can to ensure that there is no international investigation into what happened to Nord Stream in September,” Nebenzia claimed without evidence.
Sweden: “Serious sabotage” suspected in pipeline explosions in the Baltic Sea
The US envoy hit back, saying Moscow is trying to discredit ongoing domestic investigations into the explosion and to damage their conclusions.
“Since the attacks took place, Russia has accused the United States of carrying out these attacks,” US envoy Robert Wood told council members. “With those comments, it was very clear that Russia was not interested in an impartial investigation. They had already decided who was the culprit. Russia was simply playing politics.”
Russia has repeatedly echoed public comments made by US President Joe Biden just weeks before the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine last February, saying that if an invasion was carried out, “there will no longer be a Nord Stream 2. We will end it.”
Between September 26 and 29, 2022, explosions caused four leaks in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which run along the bottom of the Baltic Sea and which Russia uses to supply gas to Europe.
The damage occurred off the shores of Sweden and Denmark, which said at least two underwater detonations occurred on Sept. 26 and damaged pipelines on Nord Stream 1 and 2, causing “large leaks” of natural gas with a radius several hundred meters wide.
Danish, Swedish and German authorities are conducting ongoing investigations into the attacks. Preliminary reports found that “powerful explosions” and “gross sabotage” caused the damage.
In its proposed resolution, Russia wanted UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to establish an international independent commission of inquiry to investigate all aspects of the attacks, including identifying “the perpetrators, sponsors, organizers and accomplices”.
Several council members said a further investigation would not be beneficial at this time and urged waiting for the results of the national ones. Others suggested that a deadline be introduced for the national investigations to conclude, saying they should not be time-bound.
Several Western countries noted Russia’s interest in the security of critical infrastructure.
“Russia’s apparent concern for civilian infrastructure is difficult to take seriously in the context of its relentless attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure over the past year,” said UK Deputy Ambassador James Kariuki. “This cynical aggression must stop.”
Source: sn.dk
