UN, Russia Hold Talks On Grain, Fertiliser Exports

Geneva, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Nov, 2022 ) :United Nations chiefs were holding talks with Russian officials Friday on the Black Sea agreements on exporting grain and fertilisers, eight days before one of the deals is set to expire.

UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths and Rebeca Grynspan, head of UN trade and development agency UNCTAD, were meeting a high-level delegation from Moscow, led by Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Vershinin.

UN spokeswoman Alessandra Vellucci confirmed the talks were under way at the UN Palais des Nations headquarters in Geneva.

"They will continue ongoing consultations in support of the efforts by (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the full implementation of the two agreements signed on July 22 in Istanbul," she said.

"It is hoped that the discussions will advance progress made in facilitating the unimpeded export of food and fertilisers originating from the Russian Federation to the global markets." - 10.2 million tonnes exported - Two agreements brokered by the UN and Turkey were signed on July 22 -- to allow the export of Ukrainian grain blocked by Russia's war in the country, and the export of Russian food and fertilisers despite Western sanctions imposed on Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine.

The 120-day Black Sea Grain Initiative runs out on November 19, and the United Nations is seeking to renew the agreements for one year.

Moscow, however, has not yet said whether it will agree to that.

It has complained that the second agreement exempting its fertilisers from sanctions, which is due to run for three years, is not being respected.

Ukraine is one of the world's top grain producers and the Russian invasion had blocked 20 million tonnes of grain in its ports until the safe passage deal was agreed.

Until Thursday, 10.2 million tonnes of grains and other foodstuffs had been exported from Ukraine under the deal, relieving some fears over a deepening global food security crisis.