ISTANBUL, August 7. /TASS/. The resumption of the Black Sea Grain Initiative will be one of the main topics of potential personal talks between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in August, a diplomatic source told TASS.
"Obviously, one of the main issues during the Russian president's potential visit [to Turkey] will be the revival of the grain deal. Progress in this area will make it possible to prevent further growth of grain prices after the suspension of the implementation of the Istanbul agreements. The current situation affects the countries most in need of agricultural products, and this problem should be solved in parallel with Russia's questions to the parties to the deal," the source said, adding that Ankara expects to reach an agreement with Russia.
At the same time, he did not answer what concrete proposals for the resumption of the agreement the Turkish side is discussing with representatives of the UN, Russia and Ukraine. In his opinion, a positive outcome of the situation would strengthen the authority of Ankara and Moscow in Africa and Asia.
Erdogan earlier said that grain prices rose by 15% in the two weeks after the suspension of the grain deal. At the same time, they fell by 23% during its implementation.
The presidents of Russia and Turkey held a telephone conversation on August 2, during which they agreed to prepare for a potential meeting. Putin emphasized that Russia is ready to work with Turkey and other interested countries to develop options for supplying its grain to needy countries. Erdogan, in turn, assured that Ankara would continue its active efforts and use diplomacy to expand the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
The grain deal expired on July 17. Speaking at the Russia-Africa Forum, Putin said that Moscow had agreed to participate in the deal in view of its obligations to remove illegitimate obstacles to the supply of grain and fertilizers from Russia to world markets, but that none of the provisions had been fulfilled.