Türkİye, Russia-Ukraine War

Russia's demands must be met for grain to reach those in need, says Türkiye

Türkiye is not defending Russia, but is aware that Moscow's demands must be met under deal, says Turkish foreign minister

Dilara Hamit and Burak Bir  | 17.11.2022 - Update : 18.11.2022
Russia's demands must be met for grain to reach those in need, says Türkiye

ANKARA

Türkiye stressed that Russia's demands had to be met in order to ensure that those in need have access to food exported under the landmark Black Sea Grain Initiative, after an agreement was secured Thursday to extend the deal.

"Türkiye is not defending Russia...We say that Russia's demands should be met (too), as part of the agreement, in order for Ukrainian grain to reach countries in particular need, without any problems," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in a press conference with his Mexican counterpart Marcelo Ebrard in the capital Ankara.

Cavusoglu expressed hope for a cease-fire towards ending the Russia-Ukraine war through negotiations and for there being no need to further extend the deal.

"So everyone has to abide by the agreement," he said, adding that although important steps have been taken under the deal, progress towards the export of Russian fertilizers has been particularly elusive.

Earlier Thursday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the grain deal had been extended for another four months beginning Nov. 19.

On July 22, Türkiye, the UN, Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which had been paused in February due to Russia’s war on Ukraine.

The parties were negotiating a possible extension and expansion beyond its Nov. 19 deadline. More than 10 million tons of grain have been exported from Ukraine since Aug. 1, according to the UN.

Turkish world's unity important for peace, stability

Following a statement by the European Union on the inclusion of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in the Organization of Turkic States as an observer, Cavusoglu emphasized that the bloc had no right to intervene in matters of the international body.

"We also saw that the US, and particularly the EU, pressured and even threatened the members the Organization of Turkic States," said Cavusoglu, adding the Turkic world "no longer bows to such threats."

Calling for cooperation and action for the benefit of all, Cavusoglu highlighted that the unity of the Turkic world was important for the peace and stability in the region.

Cavusoglu also asserted that the US was unbalanced both on Cyprus and in relations between Ankara and Athens, adding that if Washington is "talking about international law," it should address the violations committed by Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration.

Free Trade Agreement

For his part, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said the two countries believe they will overcome barriers preventing their bilateral trade volume from expanding via a free trade agreement.

"Culture, investments and migration are the fields that we make joint efforts on. The work of our development agencies is also important to us. Mexico looks at you very positively," he noted.

Hailing the ties between the two countries, Ebrard noted that Türkiye and Mexico are partners in MIKTA, a grouping that also includes Indonesia, South Korea and Australia.

"We want peace, we work for peace. We are working in Venezuela to find peace. Türkiye is also mediating between Ukraine and Russia. So both countries are trying to find peaceful solutions," he said.

Touching on the areas in which the two countries are working together, Cavusoglu said they agreed to work more closely on irregular migration.

The two top officials also agreed that negotiations for a free trade agreement, last held six years ago, would be revived in the first quarter of next year, noted Cavusoglu.

'What happened in eastern Poland accident but result of ongoing war'

The Turkish foreign minister also offered his sympathies to Poland over a deadly missile incident Tuesday that claimed the lives of two people, adding that while it was an accident, it was the result of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

He also reiterated the need for negotiations to end the war as soon as possible.

The missile landed late Tuesday in the village of Przewodow, which lies near the border with Ukraine, raising fears of an escalation between Russia and NATO, of which Poland is a member.

But NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said initial findings suggested that it was "likely caused by a Ukrainian air defense missile fired to defend Ukrainian territory," a theory also backed by Poland.

The strike came as Ukraine attempts to fend off an unprecedented wave of Russian missile attacks that have targeted key energy infrastructure vital to Ukraine's civilian population as winter approaches.


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