UNITED NATIONS, November 3. /TASS/. The United Nations continues to communicate with all parties on extending the grain deal, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary General Stephane Dujarric said at a briefing on Thursday.
"The parties to the agreement have a right to withdraw. I mean, that's just a statement of fact. We are continuing our contacts with all the parties. We've <...> the Secretary General, I think, expressed his clear determination to see the agreement extended and fully implemented, and we very much hope that will happen," he pointed out.
A package of documents aimed at resolving the issue of food and fertilizer supplies to global markets was signed in Istanbul on July 22. Under a Russia-UN memorandum, the United Nations will engage in efforts to lift anti-Russian restrictions preventing the export of agricultural products and fertilizers. Another document creates a mechanism to export grain from Ukraine-controlled Black Sea ports. A four-party coordination center has been set up by Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the UN in order to inspect grain ships to prevent arms smuggling and false flag operations.
On October 29, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that Moscow was suspending participation in the agreements on the export of agricultural goods from Ukrainian ports due to a terrorist attack on Black Sea Fleet ships and civilian vessels engaged in ensuring the safety of the grain corridor, which had been carried out "by the Kiev regime and involved British specialists." However, on Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that Russia was resuming participation in the grain deal after receiving written guarantees from Kiev that it would not use the grain corridor to conduct military activities against Moscow.