Recovery Of The Black Sea Food Agreement, Turkey's Main Agenda At The 78th Session Of The UN General Assembly In New York

JAKARTA - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said at a press conference while visiting Mugla Province in southern Turkey, Friday that Turkey would make the recovery of the Black Sea food agreement a major agenda in its diplomatic efforts on the sidelines of the 78th session of the General Assembly in New York.

He revealed the Russian-Ukraine war was at the core of a number of diplomatic meetings with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in New York.

He said the war had the potential to disrupt trade in the Black Sea region.

Turkey is taking various important efforts to stop the war and provide services on humanitarian grounds, Fidan said.

"Stopping the war is of course our top priority because it causes huge losses to the region and the world," he continued.

Fidan added that the temporary suspension of the Black Sea food initiative not only affected the region but all mankind, especially Africa.

"Last year, under the leadership of our president, negotiations have resolved this issue. This year, we are continuing our efforts on this matter," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, September 30.

Amid efforts to continue Ukraine's agricultural exports after the end of the Black Sea food agreement in July, Kiev and its partners searched for land routes to reach the world market.

Russia refused to extend the food agreement because they said the West did not fulfill its obligations and that there were still restrictions on Russia's food and fertilizer exports.

Moscow specifically criticized payment restrictions, logistics and insurance.

Last year, the United Nations and Turkey brokered a food agreement that allowed Ukraine to deliver its food through the Black Sea and succeeded in lowering global food prices.