Washington- The United States has been monitoring and spying on the UN Secretary-General, according to new revelations in classified US documents released online.
The leaked documents show that Washington believes that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is too willing to accommodate Russia’s interests during the Ukraine war.
The files contain several documents of private communications between Guterres and his deputy. This is the latest case of disclosure of confidential documents. These documents contain Guterres’ candid comments on the war in Ukraine and a number of African leaders.
One of the leaked documents focuses on the Black Sea grain deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in July following fears of a global food crisis. This shows that Guterres was so keen to preserve the agreement that he was willing to accommodate Russia’s interests.
“Guterres emphasized his efforts to improve Russia’s ability to export, even if this involves sanctioned Russian entities or individuals,” the document said.
His actions in February “undermined broader efforts to hold Moscow accountable for its actions in Ukraine,” according to the assessment.
Another document from mid-February contains a frank conversation between Guterres and his deputy, Amina Mohamed, in which Guterres expressed “dismay” at EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s request for Europe to produce more weapons and ammunition as a result of the war in Ukraine. ” he does.
It is abundantly clear that the US is among a number of countries that regularly spy on the UN – but when the data from this spying is revealed, it is deeply embarrassing and potentially damaging to the world’s leading diplomat.
The first screenshots of the documents that news sources have been able to verify appeared on Discord – a popular social media platform among gamers – and were shared across several chat channels.
‘Malfeasance or incompetence’
Commenting on the report, Guterres’ spokesperson cited the UN chief’s long tenure at the helm of the world body to say he is “not surprised by the fact that people are spying on him and listening in on his private conversations”.
“What is surprising is the malfeasance or incompetence that allows for such private conversations to be distorted and become public,” Stephane Dujarric told Al Jazeera.
Earlier, a senior UN official had told the BBC that the organisation’s primary concern was “to mitigate the impact of the [Ukraine] war on the world’s poorest”.
“That means doing what we can to drive down the price of food and to ensure that fertiliser is accessible to those countries that need it the most,” the official was quoted as saying.
The grain deal must be periodically renewed, and on Wednesday, Russia warned that the prospects for extending the grain deal beyond May 18 was not promising because of obstacles that Moscow faces over its own exports.
The Pentagon leaks have been the subject of a media and political furore in recent days and have sparked a national security investigation in the US.
The information provided in the leaks, which have not yet been verified, reveals highly sensitive information regarding the war in Ukraine and indicates the US has been spying on its allies.
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