Western investigation of Nord Streams sabotage likely to conclude without transparency, impartiality: Moscow

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - The Russian foreign minister said on Thursday that the Western investigation of sabotage on Nord Stream gas pipelines will most probably have a conclusion with no transparency or impartiality.

"I do not expect either transparency of investigations, or making public its results for the general public," Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference in Sochi, following a meeting with Foreign Minister of Burundi Albert Shingiro.

The minister also said he thinks that the West will block Russia's initiative in the UN to organize an "impartial, objective, transparent" investigation of the explosions with the broad participation of international experts.

"China supports us, but the Americans reacted very nervously, their behavior even resembles panic and fear. They immediately began to put together their satellites in a group of countries that they will force to vote against our resolution," he said.

Turning to the bilateral relations with Burundi, Lavrov said Moscow appreciates the country's "balanced position" regarding the situation in Ukraine.

He also said Russia eyes deepening of cooperation with Burundi in different areas, including economy, military, and technical cooperation.

For his part, Shingiro called on Russia and Ukraine "to give a chance to diplomacy" to overcome the crisis.

"We hope that this issue can be resolved peacefully, using diplomatic tools. We want the parties to give diplomacy a chance, let this diplomatic window remain open to find a sustainable solution to such a conflict," he said.