Published September 06,2023
Subscribe
The U.S. welcomes Türkiye‘s efforts to attempt to persuade Russia to return to the Black Sea grain deal, the State Department mentioned Tuesday.
“We are continuing to engage with the UN and Türkiye which have worked very hard to make the Black Sea Grain Initiative both possible and functional,” State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel instructed reporters in response to a query on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan‘s assembly with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi.
“We also thank our NATO ally, Türkiye, for its important role in the efforts to try and get the Black Sea Grain Initiative back on track,” he mentioned.
Patel mentioned Russia’s determination to terminate its participation within the Black Sea Grain Initiative “hurts communities vulnerable to food insecurity around the world.”
Asked in regards to the studies that the U.S. is proposing the Danube River route as a substitute for the Black Sea grain hall, Patel mentioned it’s the U.S. purpose and hope that Russia returns to the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
“We of course are continuing to assess and look at what other options are available to make sure that the flow of food product can get to the places that it needs to go,” he mentioned.
But Patel mentioned he doesn’t have any announcement to supply.
“I certainly am not going to read into deliberative processes that are ongoing,” he mentioned. “We want the Black Sea Grain Initiative to be up and running again, we know that it worked.”
“And we also are incredibly thankful for the UN and our Turkish partners for the role that they played previously in getting this deal together and the role that they continue to play to try and convince Russia,” he added.
Erdoğan mentioned final Monday whereas getting back from a visit to Russia’s coastal metropolis of Sochi the place he met Putin, that he believes a “good result” will likely be reached quickly on the revival of the grain deal.
Russia suspended its participation within the deal July 17 that was brokered by Türkiye and the UN, to renew grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports that had been paused after the Ukraine warfare started in February 2022.
Moscow has repeatedly complained that the West has not met its obligations relating to Russia’s grain exports. It mentioned restrictions on funds, logistics and insurance coverage have been a barrier to its shipments.
Source: www.anews.com.tr
