Russia Saturday rejected a proposal by the United Nations and mentioned it was sticking to its circumstances for a return to the Black Sea grain deal which it give up in July.
In specific, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned Russia wanted its state agricultural financial institution – and never a subsidiary of the financial institution, as proposed by the United Nations – to be reconnected to the worldwide SWIFT financial institution funds system.
“All our conditions are perfectly well known. They do not need interpretation, they are absolutely concrete and all this is absolutely achievable,” Peskov mentioned.
“Therefore, Russia maintains its responsible, clear and consistent position, which has been repeatedly voiced by the president.”
The Black Sea deal was brokered by Türkiye and the United Nations in July 2022 to allow Ukraine to export grain by sea regardless of the battle and assist ease a worldwide meals disaster.
It was accompanied by an settlement to facilitate Russia’s personal exports of meals and fertilizer, which Moscow says has not been fulfilled.
Since quitting the grain deal in mid-July, Russia has repeatedly bombed Ukrainian ports and grain shops, prompting Kyiv and the West to accuse it of utilizing meals as a weapon.
Banking challenge
Moscow’s uncompromising restatement of its place got here 5 days after President Vladimir Putin met his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and mentioned the grain challenge.
Russia seems to have drawn encouragement from Erdoğan’s assertion at that assembly that Ukraine ought to “soften its approaches” in talks over reviving the deal, and exporting extra grain to Africa reasonably than Europe.
Ukraine mentioned it might not alter its stand and wouldn’t be hostage to “Russian blackmail.”
Russia says its grain and fertilizer exports, although not particularly sanctioned by the West, face limitations in observe due to sanctions affecting port entry, insurance coverage, logistics and funds – together with the removing of agricultural financial institution Rosselkhozbank from SWIFT.
The U.N. has proposed {that a} Luxembourg-based subsidiary of Rosselkhozbank might instantly apply to SWIFT to “effectively enable access” for the financial institution inside 30 days.
“The agreements say that SWIFT should be open to Rosselkhozbank, and not to its subsidiary. That is, we are talking about the need to return to the basics, to the agreements that were in place originally and which we were promised would be fulfilled,” Peskov mentioned.
“The president clearly said that the moment they are fulfilled, then the deal will immediately resume. But not vice versa,” he added.
Russian ‘cynicism’
Separately, the European Union on Saturday castigated Russia for pulling out of the grain deal, calling its supply of one million tons of grain to African nations a “parody of generosity.”
Charles Michel, president of the European Council, advised the annual G-20 summit in New Delhi that the 2022 grain accord had delivered to susceptible nations over 30 occasions the quantity supplied to Africa by Russia.
“And what cynicism… you did not accept this,” Michel mentioned in feedback directed on the Russian summit consultant, Moscow’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
“Not only have you decided to pull out of this agreement on the Black Sea, but at the same time you are attacking the port infrastructure,” Michel mentioned.
“To add insult to injury, Russia is offering 1 million tons of grain to African countries in a parody of generosity,” he mentioned, including: “What cynicism and contempt for African countries.”
Erdoğan held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the sidelines of the G-20 summit relating to efforts to revive the deal, two sources with information of the matter mentioned, with out giving additional particulars.
The news adopted Erdoğan’s remarks this week that it might be doable to revive the deal, urging Ukraine to melt its negotiating place and export extra grain to Africa reasonably than Europe, though Ukraine opposes the thought of easing sanctions.
“Japan as a G-7 (2023) presidency is ready to make a positive contribution in the discussion,” Hikariko Ono, press secretary at Japan’s international ministry, mentioned on Saturday. “But I cannot reveal all the concrete efforts made by Prime Minister Kishida.”
The leaders declaration agreed by the G-20 nations on Saturday referred to as for guaranteeing “the immediate and unimpeded deliveries of grain…to meet the demand in developing and least developed countries, particularly those in Africa.”
“Japan is also very much interested in (the) resumption of the Black Sea grain initiative,” Ono mentioned, including that this is able to guarantee meals safety worldwide.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
