ANKARA, September 4. /TASS/. Russian grain exports to Africa via Turkey with assistance from Qatar will be discussed at talks in Sochi between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a policy source in Ankara told TASS.
"Russian grain supplies to the most needy African countries via Turkey with financial support from Qatar are on the agenda of President Erdogan and President Putin. Such a scenario needs detailed consideration, after which a specific decision may be made as part of this initiative," the source said.
On August 31, talks were held in Moscow between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan who, among other things, discussed the grain deal. Prior to the meeting, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that the two top diplomats intended to work on the parameters of putting into practice a plan to arrange deliveries of 1 million tons of Russian grain at a discount to Turkey. Under the scheme, Qatar would then finance the processing of this grain at Turkish plants for subsequent shipments to the neediest countries.
A source at the Turkish grain union told TASS that producers in the republic were ready to implement the initiative. According to him, launching flour production is a technicality and that political will is needed for that but that exports to Africa could start as early as this fall.