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Turkey wants to extend grain deal immediately for a year if it is renewed

It is not specified what steps Ankara intends to take to meet the requirements of Russia for its return to the grain deal

ANKARA, August 3. /TASS/. Turkey wants the grain deal to be extended for a year right away, in case Russia returns to it, the 24TV channel reported on Thursday.

According to the TV channel, in a telephone conversation with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan "once again outlined the problems that the world will face if the agreement on the grain corridor is not extended." If the grain deal is extended, Turkey will not talk about terms for 3, 4 or 5 months, but immediately for 12, the channel reported.

However, it is not specified what steps Ankara intends to take to meet the requirements of Russia for its return to the grain deal.

On Wednesday, Putin and Erdogan had their first telephone conversation in more than five weeks. The presidents agreed to prepare a possible meeting, discussed the development of trade and economic ties between Moscow and Ankara, the implementation of projects in the energy sector and cooperation in the tourism industry. Putin stressed that Russia is determined to cooperate with Turkey and other interested countries in working out options for supplying its grain to countries in need. Erdogan, in turn, assured that Turkey will continue active efforts and use diplomacy to extend the Black Sea grain initiative.

The grain deal ended on July 17. Last week, speaking at the plenary session of the Russia-Africa forum, Putin said that Russia had originally agreed to participate in the deal on the condition that its terms to remove illegitimate obstacles to the supply of grain and fertilizers from Russia to world markets would be observed. But none of these conditions was met.

In turn, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin noted that the grain deal could be resumed "in a new form," but this requires concrete action on the part of the West.

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