Russian deputy FM, UNCTAD sec gen discuss global food security

MOSCOW. March 24 (Interfax) - Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin led a Russian interagency delegation to the latest round of consultations with Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Rebeca Grynspan and UN experts in Moscow on Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

The Russian delegation also included representatives of relevant ministries and companies concerned.

"The parties had an extensive exchange of views on global food security problems with a focus on efforts to ensure the implementation of the Russia-UN Memorandum on promoting Russian agricultural exports," the ministry said in a statement on its website.

"They noted the significance of [ensuring] unhindered access to world markets for Russian fertilizers and food products, shipments of which have seriously been complicated as a result of illegitimate, unilateral Western sanctions," it said.

Black Sea navigation security was discussed in this context, according to the statement.

"The parties also discussed the parameters of carrying out Russian humanitarian missions, including steps to hand over mineral fertilizers arbitrarily blocked at EU ports to the poorest countries free of charge," it said.