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Turkey considers implementation of grain deal important — defense minister

Around 1,000 vessels are employed by now, Yasar Guler says

ISTANBUL, June 17. /TASS/. Turkey considers the implementation of the Black Sea grain initiative important, Defense Minister Yasar Guler said on Saturday following the NATO ministerial meeting in Brussels.

"Around 32 mln tons of agriculture products have been delivered to the global markets within the framework of the Black Sea grain initiative by now, with around 1,000 vessels employed. The continuation of quick, secure and planned supplies of grain is important [for ensuring food security]," he was quoted as saying by Turkey’s TRT TV channel.

Agreements on export of food and fertilizers from Ukraine to the international market were concluded on July 22, 2022, for 120 days and extended in November for the same period. One of the agreements regulates the order of grain supplies from the Kiev-controlled ports of Odessa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny. Moreover, a memorandum was inked by Russia and the UN on lifting export restrictions for Russian agricultural products and fertilizers to global markets. The second part stipulates unfreezing of Russian export of food and fertilizers, connection of Rosselkhozbank back to SWIFT, resumption of supplies of agriculture equipment, components and service maintenance, resumption of the work of Tolyatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline and a number of other steps. This part of the package agreement has not yet been implemented as stated by Moscow. On March 18, 2023, Russia announced that the deal was extended for 60 days, warning that this would be enough time to assess the efficacy of the memorandum signed with the UN. On May 18, the grain deal was extended for another two months, until July 17.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said earlier this week that the extension of the grain deal was out of the question unless the Russian package of Istanbul agreements was enforced, adding that the deal was still being implemented only regarding the supply of Ukrainian grain.

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