Text taken from an article in mid.ru
[ColonelCassad] Almost a year ago, on July 22, 2022, two interconnected agreements were signed in Istanbul - the “Black Sea Initiative” on the export of Ukrainian food and Russian ammonia and the Russia-UN Memorandum on the normalization of Russian exports of agricultural products and fertilizers. This "package", as you know, was concluded at the suggestion and with the participation of the UN Secretary General A. Guterres with the stated humanitarian goals of ensuring global food security, reducing the threat of hunger and helping needy countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
A year later, the results of work on the implementation of these agreements look disappointing.
The Black Sea Initiative was launched just a week after the signing. As soon as possible, a maritime humanitarian corridor was identified, a Joint Coordination Center (JCC) was formed in Istanbul for registration and inspection of participating vessels, and on August 1, 2022, the first dry cargo ship Razoni left Odessa. This clearly confirmed the conscientious and responsible approach of the Russian representatives to the fulfillment of their duties as a party to the agreement.
However, contrary to the declared humanitarian goals, the export of Ukrainian food was almost immediately transferred to a purely commercial basis and until the last moment was aimed at serving the narrowly selfish interests of Kyiv and its Western curators. Facts and figures, as they say, speak for themselves. During the operation of the Black Sea Initiative, a total of 32.8 million tons of cargo was exported, of which more than 70% (26.3 million tons) were sent to countries with high and upper middle income levels, including the EU. The poorest countries, in particular Ethiopia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Sudan and Somalia, accounted for less than 3%, totaling 922,092 tons.
Such geography and commercialization of the initially humanitarian initiative will become clear if we consider that the owners of a significant part of Ukrainian arable land (more than 17 million hectares) are Western corporations Cargill, DuPont and Monsanto. It was they who bought Ukrainian lands after Kiev lifted a 20-year moratorium on their sale at the request of the IMF and became the main beneficiaries of Ukrainian grain exports. On the other hand, Europeans, who buy Ukrainian food at dumping prices, then process it at their own factories for further resale as finished goods with high added value. Westerners, in fact, earn twice - both on the sale and on the processing of grain. In addition, the US and the EU speculate on prices, creating an artificial shortage of goods,
It should also be noted that during the year of the implementation of the “Black Sea Initiative”, the Kiev regime did not disdain, under the cover of the sea humanitarian corridor and shipping, to carry out provocations and attacks against Russian civilian and military facilities. In fact, the ports controlled by Kyiv and the safe corridor opened by Russia for the export of Ukrainian grain were used to carry out terrorist attacks in violation of the spirit and letter of the Black Sea Initiative.
As far as the Russia-UN Memorandum is concerned, it has not actually come into effect. Under hypocritical talk about the needs of the countries of the global South and that the sanctions allegedly do not apply to food and fertilizers, Washington, Brussels and London continued to "stamp" their restrictions. The EU alone has issued five new sanctions packages since July 2022. The Americans and the British do not lag behind with their extraterritorial restrictions. As a result, Russian bank payments, insurance and transport logistics, spare parts supplies and foreign assets were completely blocked.
An illustrative example is the gratuitous deliveries of Russian mineral fertilizers to the poorest countries under the auspices of the UN. Since the announcement of this initiative in September 2022, out of 262,000 tons of products blocked in Latvia, Estonia, Belgium and the Netherlands, only two shipments have been sent – 20,000 tons to Malawi and 34,000 tons to Kenya. And this is despite the fact that we are talking about a purely humanitarian action, to which no sanctions should apply in principle. At the same time, the Russian company that owns the products also paid all the costs of its delivery and transportation. Separately, the UN and Latvians were paid additionally, after which the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia did not hesitate from the rostrum of the UN General Assembly to declare its readiness to “donate” our fertilizers to those in need, and the UN at first did not find a place to mention Russia in their press releases,
We are forced to state that none of the five systemic tasks envisaged by the Russia-UN Memorandum has been fulfilled. Rosselkhozbank was not reconnected to the SWIFT system. The feverish, last-minute proposal of the UN Secretary General about some options with access to SWIFT for a “subsidiary” or affiliated structure with our bank is practically unrealizable and unviable - according to our data, this is also recognized in the European Union. In fact, once again they tried to sell us an empty promise for the extension of the “Black Sea Initiative.”
The import of spare parts and equipment for the production of agricultural products and fertilizers into Russia is prohibited as “dual-use” goods. The entire territory of our country has been declared a zone of war risks with exorbitantly high insurance rates up to prohibitive levels, and foreign ports are closed to our ships and cargoes. Foreign accounts of domestic agricultural companies are “frozen”, despite the fact that Western sanctions allegedly do not apply to food and fertilizers. Partially unlocked funds "migrated" into the pockets of the same Westerners to pay off loans and pay for gratuitous deliveries of our fertilizers.
Finally, the story of the resuscitation of the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline, which is provided for by both Istanbul agreements, demonstrates better than any words the approach of the Kyiv regime and the UN members to their obligations. At first, under its restart, they tried to bargain for additional benefits to expand the “Black Sea Initiative” (inclusion of new ports, diversification of the range of goods and increase in inspections) and its extension under the special proposal of A. Guterres on April 24. And then, having failed to achieve these goals, the Kiev regime blew up the ammonia pipeline on June 5 on the principle of “no pipe, no problem” under the eloquent silence of the UN Secretariat.
Under these conditions of outright sabotage in the implementation of the Istanbul agreements, the continuation of the "Black Sea initiative" that did not justify its humanitarian purpose loses its meaning.
In accordance with paragraph H of the agreement, the Russian side objects to its further extension, of which the Turkish and Ukrainian sides were officially informed today, and the UN Secretariat was also notified. 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 SKC in Istanbul. Without Russia's participation, the "Black Sea Initiative" ceases to function from July 18.
We believe that the time has come to show the declared solidarity to the European allies of Kyiv, who can export Ukrainian food through land corridors. True, at the same time, cheap and low-quality grain, which arrives without any control, risks completely flooding European markets, causing (and already causing) protests from local farmers. If this really worries Brussels, then the EU may well buy it up and, instead of talking about the fight against hunger, start sending it to countries in need.
If Western capitals really value the "Black Sea Initiative", then let them seriously think about fulfilling their obligations and actually withdrawing Russian fertilizers and food from the sanctions. Only upon receipt of concrete results, and not promises and assurances, will Russia be ready to consider restoring the "deal".
More from Boris Rozhin:
Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin:
"The grain deal has gone down in history" (c) "friend Rejep."
[ColonelCassad] That's fine. To put it bluntly, the end of the "grain deal" slightly brightened up the negative from the terrorist attack on the Crimean bridge.
Let me remind you that the other day there was hysteria in the cart about Erdogan's assumptions that the "grain deal" on July 17-18 would be extended. But it all turned out a little different. Ultimately, the statements of the Russian military-political leadership that the deal would be stopped did not go wrong this time.
However, Erdogan has nothing to be offended about, the last extension of the "grain deal" for two months helped him win the elections. Everything he could, he already got from her. Although, of course, if the deal had been dragged on in its previous form, Ankara would not have refused it. Erdogan raised the most from this deal.
Now the Russian Federation and Türkiye will conduct new negotiations on the food issue. Erdogan confirmed that the Turkish Foreign Ministry will discuss these issues with the Russian Foreign Ministry. Erdogan also said that he was going to discuss with Putin the possibility of "resuming the grain deal", implying some new agreements. The talks between Putin and Erdogan, according to the statements of the Turks, may take place in August, as well as Putin's visit to Turkey. The Kremlin has not yet confirmed the specific time of such negotiations.
PS. Regarding my forecast (https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/8381964.html) dated May 26th.
1. Erdogan will win the Turkish elections by a small margin. ✅
2. The grain deal in its current form will not be extended. ✅
3. There will be a new deal with Turkey after the elections.
4. Ammonia will not be allowed through Odessa. ✅
5. There will be no US default on June 1 - the debt ceiling will be raised. ✅
Give a new contract until the end of August and it will be 5 out of 5.
PS. The decision on the grain deal is final, no more negotiations are planned (c) Russian Foreign Ministry
More, again from Boris Rozhin:
"Grain deal" is suspended
[ColonelCassad] The "grain deal" is everything.
Peskov said that the "Grain deal" was stopped.
Russia will consider returning to it if Russian conditions are met.
The Russian Foreign Ministry today officially informed the UN Secretariat, Ukraine and Turkey about the "objection" to the extension of the "grain deal".
The Russian Foreign Ministry will publish the Kremlin's official position on stopping the "grain deal" during the day.
Prices for grain futures on world exchanges have already increased by 3-4%.
Congratulations to all of you on your graduation. Hopefully without a subsequent renewal.