US blocking Russian efforts to establish an independent, UN-led probe on Nord Stream sabotage

02/23/2023 / By Arsenio Toledo

Russia is attempting to open a United Nations (UN) investigation into last September’s sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 natural gas pipelines from Russia to Western Europe – but Moscow’s attempts are being railroaded by the United States.

Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya told the UN Security Council that Moscow does not trust the separate investigations being conducted by Denmark, Sweden and Germany. He added that he would have more faith in an investigation if UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres established an independent one handled by the international community. (Related: Report: Hundreds of kilos worth of “highly effective explosive devices” responsible for Nord Stream pipeline sabotage.)

“We are not here to set up a trial in the Security Council,” said Nebenzya, noting that Guterres is someone that Moscow trusts to lead an investigation into the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines.

“We have strong reasons to doubt the effectiveness, transparency and impartiality of investigations that are being carried out under some national jurisdictions,” he added. “We do not see our partners being eager to cooperate.”

Nebenzya pointed out that neither he nor any other representative of the Russian government had been invited to participate in any kind of investigation into the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage.

“[They] are not only not transparent, but it is quite clear that they seek to just cover the tracks and stick up for their … American brother,” said Nebenzya. He is echoing similar allegations raised by the Russian government that the U.S. was behind the act of sabotage.

In its proposed resolution for an independent UN-led investigation, Russia noted that the Nord Stream attack “occurred after repeated threats to the Nord Stream [pipelines] by the leadership of the United States.”

US claims current probes into Nord Stream sabotage are sufficient

Representatives from multiple Western nations, including the U.S., the United Kingdom and France, noted that they are still investigating the attack on the Nord Stream pipelines. They further claim that the real reason why Russia is raising the issue with the Security Council now is to divert attention away from the first anniversary of the beginning of its special military operation in Ukraine.

They add that Russia also wants to divert attention from other high-level UN activities in the coming days, including the adoption of a UN General Assembly resolution condemning Russian actions in Ukraine.

“Today’s meeting is a blatant attempt to distract us from this,” said American Minister-Counselor John Kelley to the Security Council. “As the world unites this week to call for a just and secure peace in Ukraine consistent with the UN Charter, Russia desperately wants to change the subject.”

Responding to Russian allegations of U.S. involvement in the Nord Stream sabotage, Kelley told the Security Council: “Accusations that the United States was involved in this act of sabotage are completely false. The United States was not involved in any way.”

Several Security Council members supported the creation of a UN-led inquiry, but others – led by the U.S. and its allies – claim that the ongoing probes are enough.

UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo noted that, barring the creation of an independent, UN-led investigating team, all the international body can do is “await the findings of ongoing national investigations.”

More related stories can be found at Pipelines.news.

Watch this episode of the “Health Ranger Report” as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, discusses how the U.S. military blew up the Nord Stream pipelines.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.