Summary:
-
Instead, he said the UN Secretary-General is “someone we trust” to lead an investigation into the four gas leaks reported in September in the 1,224-kilometer-long pipelines that carry gas from Russia to Europe.
-
US Ambassador John Kelley said that “today’s meeting is a clear attempt to distract” from the emergency meeting of the General Assembly that will happen on February 24, 2022, one year after Russia invaded Ukraine.
-
Ms. DiCarlo says that no one knows precisely what happened in the Baltic Sea in September 2022, but “one thing is sure: whatever caused the incident, its effects are one of the many risks that the invasion of Ukraine has created.
-
Even still, UNEP estimates put the likely range of the incident’s total methane emissions at a record 75 to 230 kilotons.
-
On Russia’s request, the Security Council first discussed the Nord Stream pipeline accidents in a meeting in late September.
Instead, he said the UN Secretary-General is “someone we trust” to lead an investigation into the four gas leaks reported in September in the 1,224-kilometer-long pipelines that carry gas from Russia to Europe.
He said there was “evidence that explosives had been installed” close to the pipeline during a NATO exercise in the summer of 2022. He was referring to an American news story by Seymour Hersh that suggested Washington was involved.
He assured the council, “This journalist is stating the truth.” To quote the actor, this isn’t just the kind of smoking gun that detectives enjoy in Hollywood blockbusters. It’s a fundamental tenet of justice that everything is in your hands and that we can settle this right now.
US Ambassador John Kelley said that “today’s meeting is a clear attempt to distract” from the emergency meeting of the General Assembly that will happen on February 24, 2022, one year after Russia invaded Ukraine.
“We ought to concentrate on it,” he replied. “Russia wants to alter the subject desperately.” Russia “abuses its position as a member of the Council” when it uses this forum to spread internet rumors.
He also said that claims that the US was involved in sabotage were “completely false” and that resources for UN investigations should be kept for when states are unable or unwilling to do their own investigations, not for the studies already going on.
Don’t speculate
Given this topic’s sensitivity, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo told the Council before the discussion began that everyone should “be careful and avoid speculation.”
“We should steer clear of any baseless charges that could heighten the already high tensions in the area and possibly impede the pursuit of the truth,” she said.
She said that as long as national investigations are going on, the UN “is not in a position to verify or authenticate any of the claims related to these cases.” She said that early results from the ongoing investigations point to “severe damage,” “gross sabotage,” and the seizure of “foreign materials” at the site.
While some Council members favour the beginning of an UN-led investigation, others underline that ongoing investigations are sufficient, with several voicing severe worries about the incidents’ environmental effects. Several people felt that efforts should concentrate on reducing regional tensions.
Ms. DiCarlo says that no one knows precisely what happened in the Baltic Sea in September 2022, but “one thing is certain: whatever caused the incident, its effects are one of the many risks that the invasion of Ukraine has created.”
A year after the war began, she said, “We must double down on our efforts to stop it, in line with international law and the UN Charter.”
Brand-new ecological effect study
Based on research from its International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) released more information about the Nord Stream accidents on Monday.
The observatory’s director, Manfredi Caltagirone, says that the Nord Stream incident is “a drop in the ocean” compared to the amount of methane made worldwide.
Even still, UNEP estimates put the likely range of the incident’s total methane emissions at a record 75 to 230 kilotons.
On Russia’s request, the Security Council first discussed the Nord Stream pipeline accidents in a meeting in late September. At that meeting, Navid Hanif, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, stated that while the causes of the recent leaks in the Nord Stream pipelines are being looked into, the international community must act to address the effects of those leaks.
