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Russian foreign ministry confirms authenticity of letters on grain deal extension

Letters from the Russian embassies in Turkey and Belarus have also been released notifying the Turkish and Ukrainian authorities that the deal has only been extended for 60 days

MOSCOW, March 19. /TASS/. The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed to TASS the authenticity of the Russian UN envoy’s letter to senior UN officials regarding the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI), published online on Saturday.

The letter by Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya to UN Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths and Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development Rebeca Grynspan says: "Following your recent meeting with the delegation of the Russian Federation in Geneva on the implementation of the Istanbul agreements, signed on 22 July 2022, and upon instructions from my capital, this is to inform you that the Turkish and the Ukrainian sides were simultaneously notified on 13 March 2023 about the decision of Russia not to object to the extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI) for 60 days, that is until 18 May 2023."

"Consideration by the Russian side of further extension of the BSGI [Black Sea Grain Initiative] after the indicated date will only be possible subject to tangible progress achieved in the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Russian Federation and the UN Secretariat," reads the document, published by a Telegram channel headlined ‘Diplomatic Source.’

The channel also published corresponding letters from the Russian embassies in Turkey and Belarus, notifying the Turkish and the Ukrainian authorities that the deal has been extended for the period of 60 days only.

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