ANKARA, September 3. /TASS/. The United Nations’ new proposals on the resumption of the grain deal include an idea of talks on unfreezing assets of Russian food producers, Turkey’s Sabah newspaper said on Sunday, citing its sources.
According to the newspaper, the package of proposals includes one on beginning negotiations on lifting restrictions imposed on Russian food producers, whose assets were frozen in Europe. Apart from that, the United Nations suggests that measures be taken to assess the damage done to the ammonia pipelines. Connecting Russia’s Rossekhozbank to SWIFT is also among the UN proposals.
An inspection of the damaged ammonia pipelines is needed "to facilitate Russia ammonia supplies to markets," the newspaper said.
Apart from that, the Sabah noted that the project for delivering Russian grain to the poorest countries after processing it in Turkey is worth consideration. This process is supposed to proceed with Qatar’s financial support. This initiative was put forth by Russia earlier. According to the newspaper, the UN package also includes proposals on how to settle problems with insuring Russian ships transporting food.
The office of the United Nations Security Council Antonio Guterres said earlier that the UN chief had issued a letter to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov offering proposals on the extension of the grain deal. The situation around the Black Sea Grain Initiative is expected to be the focus of talks between Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey in Sochi on September 4.
The grain deal providing for the export of Ukrainian grain from its Black Sea ports and the normalization of the export of Russian agricultural products and fertilizers to global markets was terminated on July 17 because its Russian part was not implemented. Despite the United Nations’ efforts, Western countries had been dodging implementing their commitments. Russian President Vladimir Putin repeatedly pointed to the fact that most of the grain from Ukraine had been shipped to European countries whereas under the deal, it was to go to the poorest countries. Nevertheless, Moscow said that it was ready to resume its participation in the deal only when all obligations concerning Russia were implemented.