Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee rejected on Tuesday US calls to act upon a Russian-owned superyacht anchored in the city's waters, saying there was "no legal basis" to enforce unilateral sanctions on Russia's billionaires
HONG KONG (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th October, 2022) Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee rejected on Tuesday US calls to act upon a Russian-owned superyacht anchored in the city's waters, saying there was "no legal basis" to enforce unilateral sanctions on Russia's billionaires.
"We cannot do and we will not do anything that has no legal basis," Lee said during a press conference. He said Hong Kong only had the legal basis to comply with UN sanctions.
Named Nord, the superyacht is believed to be owned by Russian tycoon Alexei Mordashov, who is facing US, EU, and UK sanctions amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It arrived in Hong Kong on October 5 from Vladivostok, Russia and has since been docked in the city's harbor.
The US State Dept warned Monday that Hong Kong risked damaging its business reputation if it offered a safe haven to parties seeking to evade sanctions.
