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The Kremlin said on Tuesday it was impossible for Russia to return to the Black Sea grain export deal until an agreement related to Russian interests was honoured, rejecting a call from UN Secretary-General António Guterres for Moscow to return. to the pact.
Guterres on Monday called on Russia to again allow Ukraine to safely export grain from its seaports despite what Russia calls a “special military operation,” according to a proposal he made to President Vladimir Putin.
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But the Kremlin suggested that Guterres' proposal does not address its main complaint: that there has been no progress on a related deal that was designed to facilitate Russian exports of food and fertilizers amid Western sanctions imposed in response to the war.
“Mr Guterres’ letter again set out some kind of action plan and contained promises that at some point it would be possible to implement the Russian part of these agreements,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“Unfortunately, at the moment it is impossible to return to the agreement because it (the Russia-related agreement) is not being implemented and, in fact, has never been implemented.”
Peskov said Putin made it clear, however, that Moscow would be ready to resume the deal when the Russia-related memorandum was fulfilled.
The deal, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last July, was intended to help avert a global food crisis by allowing grain blocked by war in Ukraine to be exported safely.
Peskov said it will be important for Russia to discuss grain supplies with African countries at a Russia-Africa summit on Thursday and Friday.
Russia has talked about the possibility of providing cheap or free grain to Africa's poorest nations.
Source: Notícias Agrícolas
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