Turkey works on prolongation of Black Sea grain deal

ISTANBUL, Feb 3 (PRIME) -- Turkey is working on prolongation of the Black Sea grain deal that expires on March 18, Turkish Foreign Minister Mavlut Cavusoglu said on Friday in a news conference.

“Turkey is making an effort to ensure smooth procedure of the grain deal. If problems emerge, President (Recep Tayyip Erdogan) talks to dear Mr. (Vladimir) Putin and Mr. (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy over the phone. The second prolonged term of the grain deal ends in the middle of March. We are making an effort to prolong it. We know its importance for the global food security and for the destitute countries,” he said.

The deal was reached by Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, and the U.N. on July 22, 2022, and it was to expire on November 18, but it encompassed an automatic 120-day prolongation if no party ojects to that.

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