HOT NEWS/ Smuggled stones hidden in cocaine containers are discovered!

 Kliko këtu për të tjera
Voxpress:

UN demands extension of wheat deal, offers Russia access to SWIFT

2023-07-13 08:19:06Aktualitet SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
UN demands extension of wheat deal, offers Russia access to SWIFT
Illustrative photo

The Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) Antonio Guterres has proposed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to extend the agreement that allows the safe export of grain to the Black Sea from Ukraine, in exchange for the connection of a branch of the agricultural bank. of Russia with the SWIFT international payment system, sources told Reuters news agency.

Russia has threatened to pull out of the wheat deal, which expires on Monday, because some demands to ship its grains and fertilizers abroad have not been met.

Ahead of the deadline, two ships in the Ukrainian port of Odesa are currently in the process of loading the last cargoes operating under the Black Sea agreement.

Moscow's main demand includes restoring Russia's agricultural bank, Rosselkhozbank, to the SWIFT international payments network. The European Union severed ties with Rosselkhozbank in June 2022 as a sanction measure in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In May, an EU spokesman stated that exempting Russian banks from sanctions was not being considered.

However, there are indications that the EU is now considering exempting a subsidiary of Rosselkhozbank from sanctions, specifically for transactions related to grains and fertilizers. Three sources disclosed this information to Reuters on Wednesday. At the moment, there is no immediate response from the European Commission regarding this matter.

According to these sources, Guterres has proposed to Putin that Russia allow the extension of the Black Sea wheat deal for several months, thus giving the EU enough time to establish a link between SWIFT and a subsidiary of Rosselkhozbank.

Guterres sent a letter to Putin on Tuesday proposing a way forward to further facilitate Russian food exports and ensure continued shipments of Ukrainian grain to the Black Sea, a UN spokesman said on Wednesday.

"The objective is to remove obstacles affecting financial transactions through the Russian Agricultural Bank, a major concern expressed by the Russian Federation, while allowing the continued flow of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea," the UN spokesman told reporters. Stephane Dujarric.

No other details were given about the proposal, but it was mentioned that Guterres is actively engaging with all relevant parties and is open to further discussing the proposal with Russia.

A Kremlin spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In July 2022, the United Nations and Turkey facilitated the Black Sea Grains Agreement, which includes Russia and Ukraine, in order to address the global food crisis, which was exacerbated by Russia's occupation of Ukraine and the subsequent blockade of Ukrainian ports.

As part of the effort to persuade Russia to agree to the Black Sea agreement, a three-year memorandum of understanding was created. Under this agreement, UN officials pledged to help Russia export its food and fertilizers to foreign markets.

Although Russian food exports are not subject to Western sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine, Moscow claims restrictions on payments, logistics and insurance have hampered shipments.

To overcome the lack of access to SWIFT, UN officials have partnered with JPMorgan Chase & Co, a US bank, to process some payments for Russian grain exports. This agreement has received guarantees from the US government./REL


Në përputhje me standarded JTI

Video

SHIKO KANALIN NE YOUTUBE
×