The United Nations on Tuesday sent a written complaint to the US government, expressing concern about American surveillance of the private communications of Secretary-General António Guterres and other senior UN officials, and accusing the United States of infiltrating the interfere with business of the global organization.
The complaint came after news reports of leaked classified documents, verified by The New York Times, revealed the United States was wiretapping Mr Guterres’ cellphone calls on a range of issues including Russia and the war in Ukraine, UN negotiations with African leaders, the situation in Afghanistan and climate change.
“The UN has made it clear that such measures are inconsistent with the obligations of the United States of America as set out in the UN Charter and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations,” said UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric on Tuesday.
Mr Dujarric said the surveillance was intrusive and that the documents contained distorted intelligence analysis detrimental to Mr Guterres’ role as head of the world’s leading organization for global diplomacy and humanitarian aid.
The U.S. Mission to the United Nations did not comment on the complaint Tuesday, but Nate Evans, the U.S. Mission spokesman, said Friday that Washington was “working with high-level allies and partners on this.”
In the leaked documents, the United States appeared to be critical of how Mr. Guterres has been handling Russia in negotiations to conclude the Black Sea Grains Agreement, under which Ukraine could ship its grain through the Black Sea and Russia could work within existing sanctions to buy fertilizer for sale .
A document seen by The Times said Mr Guterres “took steps to accommodate Russia to protect the Black Sea Grain Initiative” and that his actions “undermined broader efforts to blame Moscow for its actions in Ukraine.” to be held accountable”. It mentions a letter Mr. Guterres wrote to Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei V. Lavrov, in which he highlighted efforts to improve Russia’s fertilizer exports.
The United Nations said Mr Guterres had condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a violation of international norms and the UN charter, calling his aggression a “war crime”.
US and European officials have repeatedly said that exports of Russian fertilizers are not subject to sanctions under the Grains Agreement.
According to documents seen by The Times, the United States overheard a cell phone conversation Mr Guterres had with his deputy Amina J. Mohammed, a Nigerian diplomat, on February 19, in which Mr Guterres expressed his dismay at an announcement by the EU -President Ursula von der Leyen, Europe must send more weapons and ammunition to Ukraine.
Mr Dujarric said the UN would take all necessary security measures to protect itself from espionage and surveillance.
