Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin said that there has been no significant progress in implementing the part of the grain deal related to the promotion of Russian agricultural products and fertilizers on global markets.
"The deal consists of two parts - the export of Ukrainian grain and providing access of Russian agricultural products and fertilizers to the world market. We see no significant progress on the second part [of the deal], but we will work together with the UN to achieve it," he told TASS on Monday.
The diplomat added that Russia's assessment of the grain deal and its implementation "remains the same."
According to Vershinin, Western countries are still not fulfilling promises on market access for Russian fertilizers and agricultural products. "We assume that Western countries are not keeping their promises in practice in terms of free access of fertilizers and agricultural products from Russia," he said.
Vershinin noted that Moscow has been in constant contact with the UN on the issue of unimpeded access to world markets for Russian agricultural products. "We insist that all the obligations taken by the UN Secretariat regarding this part of the deal (Russia's part of the grain deal - TASS) are fulfilled," he pointed out.
"We are having very intensive contacts with UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development - TASS) which represents the UN secretary-general in the realization of the memorandum on cooperation between Russia and the UN to ensure free access of Russian food and fertilizers to the world market. These contacts continue, and they are comprehensive, all issues are considered," Vershinin added.
Agreements on food exports from Ukraine were concluded on July 22 in Istanbul for a period of 120 days. One of the agreements was initially valid until November 19 and regulated the order of grain exports from Kiev-controlled ports in Odessa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny.
The agreements were extended for another 120 days on 17 November. The Russian foreign ministry explained that the deal was extended automatically due to the absence of objections from the parties involved (Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Nations).
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Photo: Akishin Vyacheslav/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on materials from TASS