LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – A resolution sponsored by Malta and France at the United Nations Security Council on the renewing of the European Union inspection of vessels off Libyàs coast suspected of violating the arms embargo on Libya was approved by 14 votes in favour and one abstention from Russia. No country objected to the resolution. Russia claimed the EU operation has been ineffective in stopping the flow of illegal weapons to Libya. The brief resolution extends the authorization for inspections for a year and reaffirms the Security Council’s “determination that terrorism, in all forms and manifestations, constitutes one of the most serious threats to peace and security”. The arms embargo monitoring effort has been carried out since March 2020 by a European Union mission called Operation Irini. Since then, 25 suspect vessels were inspected and seized cargo assessed to be violating the arms embargo on three occasions. Turkish-flagged vessels have denied Irini consent to board and inspect suspected vessels on 10 occasions.
(ITALPRESS).
-photo credit United Nations press office-
