UN partners unwilling to cooperate on Nord Stream blast probe: Russia

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
22 Feb 2023 11:13
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China backs Russia's UNSC draft calling for an independent investigation into the Nord Stream sabotage.

Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia attends a UNSC meeting at UN headquarters in New York City, New York, US, on May 19, 2022. (Reuters)

Western countries on the UN Security Council (UNSC) are not showing a willingness to cooperate with Russia on an impartial investigation into the explosions that targeted the Nord Stream gas pipelines, according to Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzia.

"We do not see a desire from our partners to cooperate," Nebenzia said on Tuesday during a UNSC meeting.

Russia submitted a draft resolution to the UN requesting an investigation into the blasts that targeted the Nord Stream gas pipelines in September 2022 in light of the new report presented by Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist Seymour Hersh over Washington's key role in the attack.

Nebenzia's statements came following a briefing on the matter offered by the Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, Jeffrey Sachs, who said earlier that the US may be behind the sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines.

Sachs, who was invited by the Russian UN delegation to weigh in on the matter, called on the Council to pursue Hersh's investigation and take the necessary measures based on its findings.

"A UN Security Council objective investigation of the Nord Stream terrorists in which all countries contribute what they know, is important for the global confidence in this body," Sachs said, adding that the world needs a functioning UNSC now more than ever.

Russia's draft resolution was backed by China, which also urged the need for launching an independent investigation.

The UK awaits "competent authorities"

A representative of the UK mission to the United Nations said the United Kingdom supports the investigations of the "competent authorities" of Germany, Denmark and Sweden and awaits their results.

"The United Kingdom fully supports these technical investigations led by competent national authorities and awaits their findings," the representative told the Council Tuesday, calling the accusations that Washington is behind the attack on the gas pipelines "lurid".

The explosions occurred on September 26 at three of the four strings of Nord Stream 1 and 2 underwater pipelines, which are designed to transport a total of 110 billion cubic meters of Russian gas to Europe each year.

Separate investigations were launched by Germany, Denmark, and Sweden into the suspected sabotage, with German media reporting trust issues among the three EU nations.