China News Agency, Moscow, March 13 (Reporter Tian Bing) Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vershinin said on the 13th that Russia does not object to the extension of the agreement on the export of agricultural products to the Black Sea port after it expires, but it only agrees to postpone it for 60 days. .
According to TASS and other Russian media reports, Vershinen told the media after holding talks with relevant UN representatives in Geneva that day that UN Secretary-General Guterres proposed that the Istanbul series of agreements have a package nature.
The Russian side has noticed this. The Russian side does not object to the extension of the Black Sea Port Agricultural Products Export Agreement after it expires on March 18, but only agrees to extend it for 60 days.
He stressed that Russia's future position will depend on the actual progress of the normalization of Russian agricultural exports.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zakharova said on March 5 that if all parties to the Black Sea Port Agricultural Products Export Agreement perform their obligations on an equal basis, Russia is willing to continue to fulfill its obligations within the framework of the agreement.
According to reports, the Ukrainian side formally sent letters to the United Nations and Turkey at the end of February, hoping to extend the agreement on the export of agricultural products at Black Sea ports.
Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Vaskov stated that Uzbekistan intends to formally propose to extend the validity period of the agreement, and the extension will be at least one year instead of 120 days, because Ukraine and the world grain market need to formulate long-term plans for the scale of exports.
During his visit to Ukraine last week, Guterres emphasized that the agreement on the export of agricultural products at Black Sea ports is a key part of ensuring global food security, and he called on all parties concerned to extend the agreement again.
He pointed out that Ukrainian and Russian grain and fertilizer exports are of great significance to global food security and food prices.
According to a previous report by the Turkish media citing the country’s Defense Minister Akar, Turkey has started consultations with the United Nations, Ukraine, and Russia on extending the agreement on the export of agricultural products at Black Sea ports, and hopes that the agreement can be extended through the efforts of all parties.
He said that the Turkish side has noticed the positive attitude of all parties to the extension of the agreement and believes that the agreement will be extended.
On July 22 last year, Russia and Ukraine signed relevant agreements with Turkey and the United Nations in Istanbul on the export of agricultural products from Black Sea ports.
At the same time, Russia and the United Nations signed a memorandum of understanding on the export of Russian agricultural products, and the United Nations is obliged to lift various restrictions that hinder the export of Russian agricultural products and chemical fertilizers.
The relevant agreement is valid for 120 days. After it expired on November 19 last year, the parties negotiated to extend the agreement for 120 days to March 18 this year.
The Russian side has repeatedly stated that the relevant agreement is a "package" agreement, not only including the export of Ukrainian grain from Ukrainian ports, but also the lifting of restrictions on Russian agricultural products and fertilizers entering the world market, but the latter has not been implemented.
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