UPDATE2: Russia receives no response to grain deal extension yet

(Rewrites story)

MOSCOW/GENEVA, Mar 14 (PRIME) -- Russia has not yet received an official response from the parties to its proposal to extend the grain deal for 60 days, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin said on Tuesday at a briefing in Geneva.

“We have not yet received an official response from the parties. Our position has been communicated to the parties and the UN representatives were informed about it yesterday,” he said.

Russia decided to extend the grain deal for only 60 days because of the lack of progress on the issue of Russian food and fertilizer supplies, he added.

On Monday, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said that the grain deal has been prolonged for 60 days on condition that all promises to abolish restrictions on Russian food and fertilizer exports are met.

“Its package nature, with the condition that all promises given to Russia on fulfilment of the second part, namely abolishment of all direct and collateral sanctions on supplies of Russian agricultural goods to the international, global markets are met, was confirmed," Grushko also said.

Grushko added that Russia expects a defreeze of the fertilizers stuck in the European ports.

Vershinin said earlier that Russia agreed to prolong the deal, expiring Saturday, for 60 days instead of 120 stipulated in the agreement, and its further position would depend on the normalization of Russian food and fertilizer exports.

End