The grain deal has been extended for 60 days, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told TASS on Tuesday.
"Russian Deputy [Foreign] Minister [Sergey Vershinin] who is in charge of the deal, delivered a statement yesterday. Indeed, the deal was extended, its extension for 60 days was agreed. It was again confirmed as a package agreement," he said.
Moscow will insist on making sure that the pledge given to Russia "on the implementation of specifically the second track, meaning the removal of all sanctions, direct and indirect, on the supply of Russian agricultural products to international markets, is fulfilled," the Deputy Minister stressed. "It is not only about the actual possibility of transportation itself, the access to foreign ports for our vessels, [but also] about insurance, as well as the necessity to solve issues related directly to production, cultivation of grain in our country," as well as "delivery of respective machinery, spare parts, and various agricultural equipment," he said.
The grain deal will be extended under the same conditions defined earlier, Grushko told reporters. "I will stress once again that the most important thing for us is to fulfill in full those promises and commitments that have been made (with regard to the export of Russian products - TASS). In this respect, nothing is changing for us, and we will work hard and make our partners deliver on their commitments," the diplomat pointed out.
The removal of restrictions on Russian agricultural exports is moving ahead, but slowly, he noted.
"I would like to reiterate that the process is underway, albeit very slowly. Our fertilizers, which we are ready to deliver to the poorest countries free of charge, still remain at the ports of a slew of countries, with artificial barriers and delays being created," Grushko concluded.
