There are delays in the inspection of ships under the grain agreement, negotiations continue

ANKARA, May 10 – RIA Novosti. A source familiar with the negotiations told RIA Novosti that there are delays in the inspection of ships covered by the grain agreement, negotiations with the parties are ongoing and not always easy.

Previously, the UN reported that the number of inspections of vessels participating in the initiative fell to an average of 2.9 per day in May (from an average of 4 inspections per day in April). There was no inspection, especially on Sunday and Monday.

The source of the organization said, “Yes, there are such problems, they explain themselves periodically. But we meet with the parties. Of course, these are not always easy, but they continue.”

The Black Sea Grain Initiative, signed by the representatives of Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the UN on July 22, 2022, includes the export of grain, food and fertilizer to the Black Sea from Ukraine’s three ports, including Odessa. The coordination of ship traffic is carried out by the Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul. Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed out in September that the West exports most of Ukrainian grain to their own states, not to needy countries in Africa. Russia extended the agreement for 60 days from March 18, 2023 – until May 18, Ukraine insists that the agreement was extended by 120 days.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative is an integral part of the package deal. The second part – the Russia-UN memorandum, designed for three years – aims to unblock Russia’s food and fertilizer exports, reconnect Rosselkhozbank to SWIFT, resumption of the supply of agricultural machinery, spare parts and services, the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline and a a number of other measures. As stated in Moscow, this part of the package deal has not yet been implemented.