Beijing [China], July 19 : Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said on Tuesday regarding the invalidation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative that the international food security issue should be resolved through dialogue and consultation. He also stated that China is ready to step up communication and cooperation to facilitate more international common understanding and contribute to world food security.
On being asked regarding the Grain Deal, which had been supposedly extended several times by Russia, ceased to be valid on Tuesday, Mao Ning said that the issue of international food security must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.
Mao was addressing the media on Tuesday.
Russian News Agency TASS asked a question, "The Black Sea grain deal, which had been extended for several times by Russia, ceased to be valid yesterday. Moscow refused to extend the deal this time because the part of the deal concerning Russia, which involves the removal of restrictions on its agricultural export, has not been fulfilled. Moscow said that although the deal allows the Ukrainian grain to be shipped to the world’s poorest countries, most of the shipment has gone to western developed countries. What’s your comment on the termination of the Black Sea grain deal? Will this affect China’s food security?
On asking for her comment on the issue, the Chinese Foriegn Ministry Spokesperson said, "We hope that parties concerned will properly resolve the international food security issue through dialogue and consultation. China stands ready to step up communication and cooperation with other parties to facilitate more international common understandings and contribute to world food security."
Clearing India's stand on the issue, India's permanent representative to United Nations Ruchira Kamboj on Wednesday said that India has given all the support to the Black Sea Green Initiative.
"India has supported the efforts of the UN Secretary General in continuing the Black Sea Grain Initiative and hopes for an early resolution to the present impasse," she added.
Russia on Monday announced it was suspending its participation in a UN-brokered deal that allowed the export of Ukrainian grain. The agreement, brokered by Turkey and the United Nations in July 2022, was scheduled to expire at 5 pm ET on Monday.
On Monday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced Moscow will not renew the agreement, saying it "has been terminated."
The deal had allowed Ukraine to export grain by sea, as per the CNN report.
In withdrawing from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that its government was removing guarantees for safe navigation in the Black Sea, according to CNN.
Russian Foreign Ministry in the statement said, "This means the withdrawal of guarantees for the safety of navigation, the curtailment of the maritime humanitarian corridor, the restoration of the regime of a temporarily dangerous area in the northwestern Black Sea and the disbandment of the JCC [Joint Coordination Center] in Istanbul. Without Russia's participation, the Black Sea initiative ceases to function from July 18."
It further said that the Russian government objects to the further extension of the agreement and informed the Turkish and Ukrainian sides on Monday. Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow had also informed the UN secretariat. The ministry said that the Russia-UN Memorandum did not work as planned.
According to United Nations.org, The Black Sea Green Initiative is the UN plan linked to efforts to ensure Russian food and fertilizer reach global markets, supports the stabilization of spiralling food prices worldwide and staves off famine, affecting millions.
The Initiative specifically allows for commercial food and fertilizer (including ammonia) exports from three key Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea – Odesa, Chornomorsk, Yuzhny/Pivdennyi.
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