28.03.2023
On Monday, Russia’s proposal to launch an independent international investigation into the Nord Stream gas pipeline explosion failed to pass the Security Council. In September last year, the Nord Stream gas pipeline from Russia to Germany exploded on the bottom of the Baltic Sea, causing natural gas to leak.
(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) In the UN Security Council, only Russia, China and Brazil voted in favor of Russia’s proposal, while the other 12 countries abstained. The draft resolution can only be passed if it gets nine votes in favor and none of the five permanent members of the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China exercise their veto power.
Last month, a few days before the first anniversary of launching the war of aggression against Ukraine, Russia proposed the above-mentioned draft resolution to the Security Council. “Without an objective and transparent international investigation, it is impossible to find out the truth of the incident,” Russian ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said before the Security Council vote.
The Nord Stream gas pipeline explosion occurred in the exclusive economic zones of Sweden and Denmark. Sweden, Denmark and Germany all said last month that their national agencies were conducting independent investigations into the bombings and had informed Russia. The above-mentioned countries jointly sent a letter to the UN Security Council, affirming that “the damage to the Nord Stream pipeline was caused by a strong explosion.” The United States and NATO also said that the incident was “artificial sabotage”.
Last September, the Nord Stream gas pipeline from Russia to Germany exploded on the bottom of the Baltic Sea.
The majority of countries that abstained from the Security Council vote argued that the countries concerned should be allowed to conclude investigations before deciding whether the United Nations should take action.
Russia’s permanent representative to the United Nations Nebenzia said after the vote that the suspicion of who is “behind the scenes” of destroying the “Beixi” pipeline is now obvious: under the watchful eyes of everyone, the United States and its allies are doing their best to ensure that there will be no targeted attacks. An international investigation into the Nord Stream pipeline issue, and attempts to cover up factual evidence by spreading contradictory and absurd speculation through the media. Nebenja also reiterated that Russia has serious doubts about the objectivity and transparency of the ongoing country investigations in some European countries, and expressed dissatisfaction with these countries’ reluctance to cooperate with parties involved in the incident.
U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Robert Wood firmly denied Russia’s “accusations without factual basis” and said that the United States did not participate in any way to destroy the “North Stream” pipeline. The US representative also claimed that the draft resolution submitted by Russia is an attempt to discredit the ongoing country investigation and undermine any investigation conclusions that do not conform to Russia’s pre-set political narrative, “this is not to seek the truth.”
The representative of France also emphasized in his explanatory statement that the seriousness and impartiality of the ongoing country investigations by Germany, Denmark and Sweden should not be questioned, and that these investigations should continue from beginning to end.
Geng Shuang, China’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, expressed regret at the result of the vote that day. He pointed out that international investigations and country investigations are not contradictory; international investigations led by the United Nations can instead play a coordinating role among different country investigations to ensure a complete and closed chain of evidence, and the conclusions drawn are more authoritative and easier to be widely accepted. accept. Moreover, this is also “the best way to respond to speculation and allegations.”
(Reuters, United Nations)
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