Estonia to prohibit use of its ports to export Russian grain - FM

TALLINN. Sept 10 (Interfax) - Estonia stands ready to take steps to prevent the transit of Russian grain through its territory, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said.

"Russia is looking for new export routes for its grain as alternatives to the Black Sea, and Estonia is prepared to take steps to ensure that the transit does not shift here. Our message to freight operators is clear: do not make plans to transport Russian grain through Estonia. We do not consider it acceptable for Russia to start using Estonian ports to export its grain," the Estonian Foreign Ministry quoted Tsahkna as saying on Thursday.

Virtually no Russian grain is currently shipped through Estonia, he said.

"If pressure emerges to start transporting Russian grain through Estonia, we are prepared to impose our own sanctions to prohibit it," Tsahkna said.

Estonia will continue working with Latvia and Lithuania to find a regional or common European Union solution to halt the transit of Russian grain, the ministry said.