UNITED NATIONS, Oct 31 (NNN-Xinhua) — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has decided to alter his travel plans to focus his efforts on saving the Black Sea Grain Initiative, said his spokesman.
Russia on Saturday announced the suspension of its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative following an attack on the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
The initial duration of the agreement is 120 days and expires on Nov. 19. The parties had agreed that the deal could be extended automatically on the condition that no party objects.
“The secretary-general is deeply concerned about the ongoing situation regarding the Black Sea Grain Initiative. He has decided to delay his departure for the Arab League (AL) summit in Algiers by a day to focus on the issue,” said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, in a statement.
Guterres continues to engage in intense contact to end the Russian suspension of its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The same engagement is also aimed at the renewal and full implementation of the initiative to facilitate exports of food and fertilizer from Ukraine and the removal of the remaining obstacles to the exports of Russian food and fertilizer, said the statement.
Guterres was initially scheduled to leave on Monday for the AL summit.
Russia announced Saturday that Moscow would immediately and indefinitely suspend its implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, accusing Ukraine of launching drone attacks under British guidance.
“On Oct. 29, the Ukrainian Armed Forces, under the cover of the humanitarian corridor set up for the implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative for the export of Ukrainian agricultural products, launched massive air and sea strikes using drones against the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s ships and infrastructure at the naval base in Sevastopol,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
As a result of the “terrorist attack” against Russian ships, the Russian side can no longer guarantee the safety of civilian dry cargo ships participating in the Black Sea Grain Initiative, it added.
Ukraine and Britain denied the accusation, while the United Nations called for restraint by all parties.
The Ukrainian Infrastructure Ministry said it is ready to continue gathering and shipping agricultural products to ensure global food security despite Russia’s plan to withdraw from the Black Sea Grain Initiative. –NNN-XINHUA
