Representational.
Ankara: The Black Sea grain deal, brokered by the United Nations, was renewed for another 60 days. This is half the intended period, and Russia warned that further extension of the deal depends on the lifting of sanctions imposed by the West, Reuters reported.
UN and Turkey brokered the pact with Russia and Ukraine in July last year, and in November, it was extended for another 120 days. The pact was intended to address a global food crisis which was partly escalated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 2022 February 24. The deal was to expire on Saturday.
Though the UN and Turkey informed about the deal being extended, they did not specify for how long. When Ukraine claimed it was extended to 120 days, it is learnt that Russia agreed to renew it for 60 days only.
To this, US Ambassador at the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield responded that the Biden administration had gone to “extraordinary lengths to communicate the clear car for food and fertilizers to governments and to the private sector,” Reuters quoted.
Both Russia and Ukraine are frontline international suppliers of food products, while Russia is a top exporter of wheat too.
Nebenzia demanded Russian Agricultural Bank be allowed back into the SWIFT banking system as well as supply agricultural machinery and spare parts.
She continued that the restrictions on insurance needed to be lifted, and access should be granted to ports for Russian ships and Cargo. The pipeline that delivers Russian ammonia to a Ukrainian Black Sea port must be restarted while accounts and financial activities of Russian fertilizer companies should be unblocked, she demanded.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the Memorandum of Understanding on promoting Russian food products and fertilizers to the world markets are important for global food security.