Russia to continue dialogue with UN, Türkiye on resumption of grain deal

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said on Tuesday that Russia will continue dialogue with the UN and Türkiye on the resumption of the grain deal.

Speaking at a video conference of heads of state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Moscow, Mishustin said Russia sees providing global food security as one of its priorities.

"Russia had been working constructively within the framework of the 'Black Sea initiative' under the auspices of the UN concerning the export of Ukrainian agricultural products.

"We did it responsibly, despite the non-fulfillment of agreements on the lifting of all illegal restrictions on Russian fertilizers and food," he said.

However, last week, Ukraine attacked Russia's ships in the port of Sevastopol and made it impossible to guarantee the security of the organized humanitarian corridor, he said.

"We were forced to suspend participation in the grain deal. Nevertheless, we will continue the dialogue with the UN and Türkiye on topical issues under the agreements signed in Istanbul.

"Regardless of the prospects of the grain deal, taking into account this year's harvest, Russia is ready to provide up to 500,000 tons of grain to the most needy countries free of charge, as well as to supply grain to all interested states at reasonable prices," he said.

Mishustin noted that the SCO countries account for more than one-tenth of the global agricultural sector. Over the eight months of 2022, Russia increased trade in agricultural products and food with the SCO member states by almost a quarter to some $8.5 billion, he added.

He also said the West continues to exercise pressure on Moscow, with 12,000 sanctions already imposed on the country, hitting key financial, technological, oil, gas mining, and transport sectors.

"But we managed to overcome the negative scenarios and create conditions for the stabilization of our economic dynamics," he said.

Mishustin also called on the SCO countries to strengthen energy cooperation, using the SCO Energy Club, and to lift restrictions that are preventing the development of transport communications among the SCO countries.

"Another common task is to achieve independence from the influence of third countries in the financial sector. To do this, we propose to create in the SCO its own system of electronic exchange of financial information and bank payments.

"We consider it possible to use national interbank telecommunications platforms as backup channels in mutual settlements. Such an integrated approach will create more predictable, understandable, and reliable conditions for our entrepreneurs," he said.

It is important to accelerate the transfer of payments in national currencies, Mishustin continued.

He also urged the SCO to continue seeking solutions for problems of climate change and create favorable conditions for humanitarian cooperation and sports.

"The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, as the September summit convincingly showed, continues to strengthen as one of the most authoritative and influential associations in the entire Eurasian space. (...) Our states have everything they need to move forward confidently," he said.