Russia, Turkey reaffirm 'package' nature of agreements to remove grain from Ukraine and promote Russian agricultural products - Russian Foreign Ministry
MOSCOW. Dec 12 (Interfax) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin and his Turkish counterpart Sedat Onal have reaffirmed the "package" nature of a deal to remove grain from Ukraine and advance Russian agricultural products to world markets, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on its website on Saturday after the diplomats' consultations in Istanbul on December 8-9.
"The interlocutors discussed progress in the implementation of the July 22 Istanbul agreements, reaffirming the 'package' character of the agreements - the 'Black Sea initiative' to remove Ukrainian foodstuffs and the UN-Russia Memorandum on promoting Russian fertilizers and agricultural products to world markets. It was noted that full and conscientious implementation of these agreements would benefit primarily the destitute countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, while also ensuring global food security, which are the main tasks of the 'deal'," the statement said.
On Ukraine, the "Turkish side was informed in detail about the current situation on the ground, Ukraine's constant military attacks on the civilian infrastructure and population of the Donbas, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions," the statement said.
The consultations also involved detailed discussions of international and regional topics on the UN Security Council and General Assembly agenda, the ministry said. The diplomats "considered the SC reform, the tasks of making all UN agencies more efficient in line with their mandates based on the respect for the sovereignty of member states. The Russian side stressed the importance of the impartial and objective work of the UN Secretariat where Western states are still overrepresented," the statement said.
The pair also discussed in detail the efforts to resolve the crises in Afghanistan, Libya and Yemen, the current situation in Iraq, the eastern Mediterranean region and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict zone. "In regard to Syria, [the diplomats] analyzed the prospects of reaching a lasting settlement based on UN SC Resolution 2254 and possible intensification and expansion of the comprehensive international humanitarian assistance to the poorest countries in accordance with international humanitarian law, as is provided by the UN SC Resolution 2642," the statement said.
"The consultations confirmed both sides' commitment to further strengthening of bilateral coordination and constructive cooperation on the UN platform in accordance with its Charter," it said.