The UN Security Council on Monday failed to approve the Russian initiative backed by China to condemn and investigate the September sabotage against the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines in the North Sea.
Three countries voted in favor of the text, twelve abstained and none voted against it, so the proposed resolution did not garner the necessary nine supporters for its approval, Russian media reported.
The document called these »acts of sabotage» a »threat to international peace and stability» and called for an »effective, impartial, transparent, thorough and inclusive international investigation» to hold all parties involved »accountable». It therefore urged UN Secretary General António Guterres to set up a commission of experts to investigate what happened.
The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines are owned by Russia’s state-owned Gazprom and link Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea to supply natural gas to the heart of Europe. In 2021 Russia supplied 45 percent of natural gas to the European Union, but by November 2022 the figure had fallen to 13 percent following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The U.S. representative, Robert Wood, has »categorically» rejected Moscow’s »baseless accusations» of alleged U.S. involvement in these attacks and accused Russia of trying to discredit investigations opened by Sweden or Denmark into what happened. Russia »does not seek the truth», he reiterated.
In addition, he wondered about Russia’s »true intentions» in submitting these proposals to a vote knowing that it did not have the necessary support for their approval.
Between September 26 and 29, four pipeline leaks were detected near the Danish island of Bornholm, albeit in international waters. The Danish investigation points to powerful explosions as the cause and Sweden has concluded that it was »obvious sabotage» after finding »explosive residue».
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
