MOSCOW, September 22. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry discussed on Wednesday the implementation of the Istanbul agreements on grain exports, bilateral cooperation and coordination at the United Nations, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued after the meeting on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly.
"The issues of food security in the context of the implementation of agreements reached in Istanbul in July 2022 on the export of grain from Ukrainian ports and unimpeded access of Russian agricultural products and fertilizers to the global market was discussed," the statement reads.
It specifies that the ministers also discussed the prospects for expanding business partnerships in industry, energy, agriculture and tourism. "The important role of the joint Russian-Egyptian Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation in solving this problem was noted," the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed.
In addition, Lavrov and Shoukry reviewed the implementation of large-scale investment projects, primarily the construction of Egypt's first nuclear power plant El-Dabaa and the creation of a Russian industrial zone in the economic zone of the Suez Canal.
"During the conversation, the importance of strengthening bilateral coordination between Moscow and Cairo at the UN and other international platforms on topical international and regional issues of mutual interest was expressed," the Russian ministry added.
A package of documents geared towards resolving the issue of food and fertilizer supplies on global markets was signed on July 22 in Istanbul. Under the Russia-UN memorandum, the United Nations undertakes to work toward lifting anti-Russian restrictions hampering the exports of agricultural products and fertilizers. Another document envisages a mechanism of exporting grain from Ukraine-controlled Black Sea ports. An agreement between Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Nations provides for the establishment of a four-party coordination center to search ships carrying grain in order to prevent weapons smuggling and avoid any false flag.