UPDATE 2: Russia limits ship registration in grain deal

(updates headline, paragraph 1)

U.N., Jun 1 (PRIME) -- Russia has informed the joint coordination center of a decision to restrict registration of ships in the port of Yuzhny under the grain deal in retaliation for the impossibility of ammonia exports, spokesman for the U.N. secretary-general Stephane Dujarric said on Thursday.

Spokeswoman for the U.N. coordinator of the deal Ismini Palla told PRIME that no inspections of ships were made on Thursday in the framework of the grain deal, and the sides are in talks on restart of new ship registration and inspections.

"The joint coordination center has made no inspections today," Palla said. "The participants of the initiative continue discussions in order to reach consensus on the issue of registration of new ships and carrying of new inspections."

Coordinator Abdullah Abdul Samad Dashti said earlier that more than 30 million tonnes of food had been carried to 45 countries under the deal.

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin said that Ukraine continues to set preconditions for permits for exports of Russian ammonia under the deal, while the U.N. "continues to speculate on the topic of ammonia trying to create the appearance of new efforts and contacts." The ammonia pipeline has not begun to work, he said.

End