The Security Council on Tuesday heatedly debated Russia’s request for a UN-led inquiry into the September explosions along the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.
“We are not here to set up a trial in the Security Council”, Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said during discussions. He said Moscow was presenting a request for an independent investigation in light of doubts about the integrity and transparency of Denmark, Germany and Sweden in their ongoing inquiries.
Instead, he said, the UN Secretary-General “is someone we trust” to lead an investigation following reports in September of four leaks in the 1,224-kilometre-long pipelines that supply gas from Russia to Europe.
There was “proof that explosives had been planted” near the pipeline during a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) exercise in the summer of 2022, he said, referring to a recent United States news report by reporter Seymour Hersh claiming Washington was involved. […]
US Ambassador John Kelley said “today’s meeting is a blatant attempt to distract” from the forthcoming emergency meeting of the General Assembly that will mark one-year since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.
“That is what our focus should be on,” he said. “Russia desperately wants to change the subject.” Russia is “abusing its position as a Council member” for using this platform to air internet conspiracy theories.
In addition, accusations that the US was involved in acts of sabotage “are completely false”, he said, pointing out that resources for UN investigations should be preserved when States are unwilling or unable to investigate, unlike the current ongoing inquiries. […]
While some Council members supported the launch of a UN-led inquiry, others emphasized that ongoing inquiries are enough, with many raising grave concerns about the ecological impact of the incidents. Many agreed that efforts should focus on de-escalating tensions in the region. Läs referatet