Russia's Nebenzya Rejects UN's Claims That Saving World's Hungry Depends on Grain Deal
© Sputnik . Alexandr Kryazhev
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UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - Earlier this month, following a meeting with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia will be ready to revive the Black Sea Grain Deal and will do it as soon as all negotiated agreements are fulfilled.
The United Nations' statements that saving the world's hungry depends on the Black Sea Grain Initiative are false, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzya told Sputnik, adding that claims of a rise in market prices due to Russia's withdrawal from the initiative are also incorrect.
"We continue to hear loud statements from the press service and officials of the global organization [UN] that the Black Sea Initiative is supposedly responsible for saving the hungry around the world. This does not correspond to reality, and we have repeatedly cited the relevant figures and facts," Nebenzya said in an interview.
Allegations that Russia's withdrawal from the initiative has led to an increase in prices are false, he reiterated, adding that they have actually continued to fall. At the same time, Nebenzya said that consultations on the grain deal between Russia and the UN were continuing.
The diplomat went on to say that United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and his team do not have the leverage to solve systematic issues with the implementation of the Russian part of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
"Unfortunately, we have to admit, and the UN had to admit this publicly more than once, the Secretary-General and his team do not have the leverage to solve systematic problems, although they are really trying," Nebenzya said.
However, Russia "does not sit idly by" and continues to provide real assistance to the least developed countries of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, the envoy added.
"Russian President [Vladimir Putin] covers these efforts in detail in his speeches. [He] also clearly stated conditions for Russia's return to the Black Sea [Grain] Initiative. We outlined them in detail here as well. This is not blackmail, as the West is trying to present it, but a demand to fulfill what we were promised a year ago," Nebenzya said.
11 September 2023, 15:23
Relations With North Korea
Nebenzya also touched upon the issue of bilateral relations between Russia and North Korea. He reiterated that Russia will continue developing contacts with North Korea at the interstate level, as no United Nations Security Council resolution prohibits this.
"We will continue to develop such contacts in the future in the interest of our countries. This is not prohibited by any UN Security Council resolution," Nebenzya said.
Pyongyang's recent easing of COVID-19 restrictions served as an incentive to restore contacts between Russia and North Korea at the interstate level, he said.
"[North Korea] is truly an important neighbor and partner, with whom Russia has had friendly relations for decades," the envoy added.
A Russian delegation led by Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu visited North Korea from July 25-27, while North Korean leader Kim Jong Un paid a five-day visit to Russia from September 13-17, during which he met with President Vladimir Putin.
The Russian envoy further elaborated that experts of the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee on North Korea are not confirming speculations on Pyongyang's alleged arms supplies to Russia.
"There are many speculations on this issue, including on the UN platform. All of them are actively repeated by the Western media," Nebenzia said when asked about Moscow's reaction to the US accusations against North Korea of allegedly supplying weapons to Russia and the threat of sanctions.
14 September 2023, 09:37
According to Nebenzya, the Western countries, under far-fetched pretexts, blocked work on a draft resolution of Russia and China on easing sanctions against North Korea.
"The Western bloc, under far-fetched pretexts, blocked work on a draft humanitarian resolution on North Korea prepared by the Russian and Chinese delegations. Such destructive behavior cannot be considered other than a violation of the spirit of the Council resolutions," Nebenzia said.
He also drew attention to the fact that despite the restraint shown by Pyongyang, there was no counter-movement from the West in terms of easing sanctions.
"On the contrary, the United States and its allies constantly make threats and introduce new illegal restrictive measures," Nebenzia stated.
In 2021, Russia and China submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council on the partial lifting of sanctions against North Korea. The authors of the resolution noted that the North Korean economy has been in poor condition in recent years. The resolution, among other things, proposed lifting the ban on North Korean workers working abroad, lifting sanctions on inter-Korean railway and road cooperation projects, and lifting a number of other restrictive measures.
