16 Nov 2022 10:54

Guterres, Lavrov discuss Russian food exports, grain deal at G20 - UN

NEW YORK (UN). Nov 16 (Interfax) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed the situation with Russian food exports and the Black Sea Grain Initiative on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for the UN secretary-general, said.

"I can say on that is it was a lengthy meeting and they went through all the aspects related to the process of facilitation of Russian exports, food and fertilizer and the Black Sea Grain Initiative," Haq said at a press briefing on Tuesday while commenting on the Guterres-Lavrov meeting.

"And it was a very frank and open discussion," he said.

Haq added that UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Martin Griffiths met with various delegations to the Joint Coordination Center (JCC) in Istanbul on Tuesday. "And so, he is also moving ahead on his side," he said

Lavrov said earlier on Tuesday he was told by Guterres that the commitment to lift the restrictions on Russian fertilizer and grain exports would be honored.