Published
War in UkraineWashington puts pressure on Hong Kong
The United States wants to enforce Western sanctions against a yacht linked to Russian oligarch Mordashov.
The 142-meter ‘North’ superyacht, believed to be owned by Russian oligarch Alexei Mordashov, is seen in Hong Kong, China on October 7, 2022.
REUTERS
The United States warned Hong Kong on Saturday, believing that this Chinese territory risked tarnishing its reputation by refusing to apply Western sanctions against a yacht linked to one of the richest Russian oligarchs. This 142-meter boat, called “The North”, was spotted on Thursday by residents not far from the entrance to the port of Hong Kong. He is said to be linked to Alexei Mordashov, one of the oligarchs close to Russian President Vladimir Putin targeted by the sanctions imposed by the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom after the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
Hongkong inflexible
In application of these sanctions, several authorities, notably Spanish, Italian, French and Fijian, have seized yachts linked to Russian oligarchs in order to put pressure on Mr. Putin and his entourage. On Friday, Hong Kong’s Marine Ministry said it does enforce United Nations sanctions, but “does not enforce and has no legal authority to take action on unilateral sanctions.” imposed by other jurisdictions”.
American pressure
“The possibility that individuals are using Hong Kong as a refuge to evade sanctions imposed by several jurisdictions further calls into question the transparency of the economic environment” of this territory, reacted on Saturday a door- word of the US State Department. “Hong Kong’s reputation as a financial center depends on its adherence to international law and international standards,” he added.
Owner in Moscow
Owner of the Russian steel group Severstal, Mr. Mordachov is one of Russia’s greatest fortunes. According to specialized sites, the yacht “The North”, which is valued at 500 million dollars and has two helipads, a cinema and luxury cabins, left Vladivostok last week. A spokesperson for Mr. Mordashov told Bloomberg News on Thursday that the billionaire was in Moscow and declined to comment on the matter. China has never condemned the Russian invasion and blames the conflict on the United States and NATO.
(AFP)