Russian Deputy FM Vershinin insists on normalizing Russian fertilizer, grain exports at grain deal talks in Istanbul

MOSCOW. May 12 (Interfax) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin took part in a high-level, four-sided meeting (involving Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the UN) as part of a Russian interagency delegation in Istanbul on May 10-11, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"The discussion centered on reviewing the implementation of the package agreements concluded in Istanbul on July 22, 2022, with an emphasis placed on the Black Sea Initiative concerning exports of Ukrainian food products, which expires on May 18. There was a detailed exchange of opinions on current problems in the work of the Joint Coordination Center and on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's proposals on unblocking the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline," it said.

"The Russian side reiterated that ammonia exports should start simultaneously with exports of Ukrainian grain, as stipulated by both Istanbul agreements, and without any preconditions," it said.

"In addition, emphasizing the 'packaged' and interconnected nature of the agreements, it was noted that there had been no progress in implementing the Russia-UN memorandum on normalizing Russian agricultural exports, including with regard to the five 'systemic' problems (bank payments, transport logistics and insurance, deliveries of spare parts, unblocking frozen assets, and the ammonia pipeline), which continue to obstruct deliveries of Russian agricultural products to global markets," it said.

On the whole, "it was acknowledged that global food security and reducing the threat of hunger depend not only and not so much on commercial exports of Ukrainian grain (70% [of which is] feed corn and fodder grain) primarily to developed countries as on normalizing supplies of Russian fertilizers and grain (70% [of which is] wheat), which is complicated by the West's unilateral blocking sanctions," it said.

Earlier on Friday, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told journalists that contacts regarding the future of the grain deal would continue. Asked what information the Kremlin had concerning the prospects for extending the grain deal, Peskov replied, "There is nothing to report at this point, as the work is continuing. Contacts are continuing and they will continue further. But there is nothing to report just yet."

Peskov was also asked to comment on media reports which said that an extension of the deal would require a phone call between the Russian and Turkish leaders.

"A conversation between the two presidents would not be enough to make the deal happen. The second part of the deal needs to be implemented for this deal to happen," he said.

"As for a phone call between the two presidents, it is not on the schedule just yet. However, it could be arranged within hours if necessary," Peskov said.