BRUSSELS (Reuters) – NATO said on Wednesday it will set up a point of contact at its Brussels headquarters to improve coordination with the industry on issues concerning critical undersea infrastructure after the attacks on the Nord Stream gas pipelines in September.
“The sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines has reminded us all of the vulnerabilities we face,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters.
He said the alliance was establishing a cell at its headquarters to improve coordination and cooperation with the private sector, alluding to the private operators of critical infrastructure such as pipelines.
“It will facilitate engagement with industry, and bring key military and civilian stakeholders together to share best practices, leverage innovative technologies and boost the security of our undersea infrastructure,” Stoltenberg said.
European countries have stepped up vigilance around critical installations after ruptures in September on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines which connect Russia to Germany, spewing gas into the Baltic Sea.
The incident became a flashpoint in the energy standoff between the West and Moscow since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last February.
Investigators found traces of explosives at the scene and suspect the pipelines were deliberately blown up.
Russia denies sabotaging the pipelines and has, without providing evidence, repeatedly said the West was behind the blasts.
(Reporting by Sabine Siebold, Bart H. Meijer, Charlotte Van Campenhout; editing by GV De Clercq and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
