Source: Turkey in talks with West to restart grain deal

ANKARA, Jul 31 (PRIME) -- Turkey is in negotiations with several Western countries to restart the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a source that partakes in the negotiations told PRIME on Monday.

“An array of negotiations is being held with the Western countries over the way to restart work of the Black Sea Grain Initiative. I won’t like to discuss details of the process that is being coordinated with the U.N., but an active and serious work is going on,” the source said.

There is hope that Russia would return to the deal, but it should not be discussed without guarantees from the West on lifting of the obstacles for exports of Russian agricultural products, the source said.

“During the negotiations, we are trying to get certain guarantees from our Western partners. The lack (of guarantees) already resulted to suspension of the mechanism and the risk of a food crisis,” the source said.

Ankara also plans to discuss options for ensuring food security with Moscow.

“As far as I am aware, a phone conversation at the highest level (between the presidents of Turkey and Russia) is being prepared right now. Among other topics, they should discuss specific options of how we could help in delivering and processing of the Russian food for the poor countries. The delegations made some drafts and submitted them, and a decision should be made at the highest level,” they said.

Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, and the U.N. coordinated the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July 2022 that encompassed exports of the Ukrainian grain and food through the Black Sea ports. But a second part of the deal – a Russia–U.N. memorandum – included unblocking of the Russian food and fertilizer exports and reconnection of Russian Agricultural Bank to the SWIFT interbank messaging system. The West repeatedly failed to comply with the memorandum, and Moscow left the deal on July 18.

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