INSTANBUL, July 22. /TASS/. Moscow has assumed certain commitments in the process of signing grain export deals and has no intent to take advantage of the situation that Ukrainian Black Sea ports will be open and cleared of mines, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Friday.
"Russia has undertaken the commitments that are clearly formulated in that document. We will not take advantage of the situation that the ports will be cleared of mines and will be open. We have assumed this commitment. Moreover, the document stipulates a completely specific date, to be more exact, the term, during which this will be done," Shoigu said in a live broadcast of the Rossiya-24 television channel.
A package of documents was signed in Istanbul on July 22 to facilitate the deliveries of food and mineral fertilizer to world markets. The Russia-UN memorandum stipulates that the UN will take efforts to lift anti-Russian restrictions for the export of agricultural produce and mineral fertilizer.
Another document prescribes the mechanism of exporting grain from Kiev-controlled Black Sea ports. The grain deal between Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the UN envisages creating a four-party coordination center whose representatives will inspect grain-exporting vessels to prevent weapons smuggling and rule out provocations.