Erdogan: UN proposes mechanism of payments for Russian food

ANKARA, Sep 5 (PRIME) -- The U.N. has proposed a SWIFT-derivative mechanism of intermediation in payments for Russian food and is working on a mechanism of Russian ship insurance, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.

"U.N. Secretary General (Antonio) Guterres recently, on August 28, proposed a mediating mechanism which would not be SWIFT, as the Russians wanted, but a SWIFT derivative in a letter sent to them. They (the U.N.) also said that they were working on the issue of (ship) insurance," Erdogan said.

The president also said that the Western states have a different approach to the SWIFT connection for Russia and insurance. Besides, only 14% of grain under the deal is shipped to Africa, whereas 44% is delivered to Europe, which is why Russia's President Vladimir Putin accuses the states of non-fulfilling the obligations.

Erdogan said he would discuss the deal with Guterres at a General Assembly of the U.N.

He separately said that Turkey expected to establish a gas center, which would be similar to those in London and Hamburg.

"We plan to establish such a center not only for natural gas, but also for the energy sector and the mining industry," Erdogan said.

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