China Cooperating in Balticconnector Investigation, Finland Says

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo on Tuesday that China was cooperating in Finland's investigation of the Hong Kong-flagged NewNew Polar Bear vessel's role in the Oct. 8 damage to the Balticconnector pipeline.

Finnish police leading the criminal investigation have named the NewNew Polar Bear container carrier as the prime suspect in damaging the gas pipeline early on Oct. 8, saying it was too early to tell if this was an accident or a deliberate act.

A large anchor, believed to belong to the NewNew Polar Bear, was found near the pipeline, and the investigators said the pipe was likely broken as it was dragged across the sea bed.

"We have opened diplomatic discussions with the Chinese and also we have started cooperation with Chinese authorities. And they have promised, and they have said, that they want to do cooperation," Petteri Orpo told reporters in Oslo.

"We are starting to work together. And the next few days I think (will) show how it goes. But now we have to be patient. We have to get a clear picture of what has happened before (drawing) any conclusions."

China has said it was willing to provide the necessary information in accordance with international law.

Finland's gas pipeline operator Gasgrid said separately on Tuesday it had completed its inspection of the full pipe, and not found any more damage to it than the one confirmed on Oct. 10.

Balticconnector map https://tmsnrt.rs/3FegRZS

(Reuters - Reporting by Gwladys Fouche, additional reporting by Anna Ringstrom in Stockholm, editing by Terje Solsvik)