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world news Diahuebs 14 Juli 2022

UN sees progress in talks to free up Ukraine grain exports

(AP) — U.N. Secretary-
General Antonio Guterres Akar said the talks were held The war has trapped about
said the first meeting in in a constructive atmosphere, 22 million tons of grain in-
weeks between Russia adding: “We see that the par- side Ukraine, according to
and Ukraine took “a criti- ties are willing to solve this Ukraine’s president. U.N.,
cal step forward” to en- problem.” Turkish and other officials
sure the export of desper- are scrambling for a solution
ately needed grain from Ukrainian President Volody- that would empty the silos in
Ukraine’s Black Sea ports myr Zelenskyy said his coun- time for upcoming harvest in
to help ease the global try’s delegation at the talks Ukraine. Some grain is being
food crisis. had informed him that they transported through Europe
were making progress. by rail, road and river, but the
The U.N. chief said “more amount is small compared
technical work will now be He said he was grateful to the with the Black Sea routes.
needed” to reach an agree- United Nations and Turkey
ment, “but the momentum is for their efforts to restore The U.N. Food and Agricul- Press that grain exports from al food crisis. They are skep-
clear … I’m encouraged, but Ukraine’s agricultural ex- ture Organization says the his country’s ports would tical of Putin’s pledge not
it’s not yet fully done.” ports. “If they succeed in re- war in Ukraine is endanger- not resume without security to take advantage of cleared
moving the Russian threat to ing food supplies for many guarantees to ship owners, Black Sea corridors to mount
Guterres spoke in New York, shipping in the Black Sea, it developing nations, rais- cargo owners and to keep attacks on Ukrainian ports,
hours after military officials will reduce the severity of the ing food prices globally and Ukraine as an independent noting that he insisted re-
from Russia, Ukraine and global food crisis,” Zelenskyy could worsen hunger for up nation. peatedly this year that he had
Turkey met with U.N. en- said in his nightly video ad- to 181 million people. no plans to invade Ukraine.
voys in Istanbul to discuss dress. Any agreement needs to en-
unblocking millions of tons Russia said meanwhile, it sure that Russia “will respect Ahead of the talks, a senior
of grain — stuck in Ukraine The secretary-general has had presented a package of these corridors, they will not Russian diplomat said Mos-
because of the war — to be been pressing since early proposals for a “practical and sneak into the harbor and at- cow was willing to ensure
shipped to world markets and June for a package deal that quick solution” to unblock tack ports or that they will safe navigation for ships to
to enable Russia to send out will enable Ukraine to export the export of Ukrainian grain not attack ports from the air carry grain from Ukrainian
grain and fertilizer. grain and other food, not but did not elaborate. with their missiles,” he said. ports but would press for its
only by land but from block- right to check the vessels for
Turkish Defense Minister aded Black Sea ports, and al- Ukraine is one of the world’s Russian and Ukrainian offi- weapons.
Hulusi Akar said the sides low Russian food and fertil- largest exporters of wheat, cials have traded accusations
reached agreement concern- izer to enter world markets corn and sunflower oil, but over the stuck grain ship- Pyotr Ilyichev, head of the
ing the “joint control” of ves- without restrictions. Russia’s invasion and war ments. Russian Foreign Ministry’s
sels as they leave and arrive has disrupted production and department for ties with in-
at ports and the safety of the “Today in Istanbul, we have halted shipments across the Moscow claims Ukraine’s ternational organizations,
transfer routes. A coordina- seen a critical step, a step for- Black Sea to the Mediterra- heavily mined ports are said Russia’s military had re-
tion center would be estab- ward to ensuring the safe and nean. causing the delay. Russian peatedly declared its willing-
lished in Istanbul and would secure export of Ukrainian President Vladimir Putin ness to allow safe shipping
include U.N., Turkish, Rus- food products through the Turkey has offered to provide has pledged that Moscow corridors in the Black Sea.
sian and Ukrainian officials, Black Sea,” Guterres told re- safe Black Sea corridors and wouldn’t use the corridors
he said. porters at U.N. headquarters worked with the U.N., Rus- to launch an attack, if the sea Seventy vessels from 16
in New York. sia and Ukraine to reach an mines were removed. countries have remained
The parties would meet again agreement. stuck in Ukrainian ports,
in Turkey next week where He called it “a ray of hope But Ukrainian officials have Ilyichev said, alleging that
details would be reviewed to ease human suffering and Before the talks, Ukrainian blamed a Russian naval Ukrainian authorities had
and agreements would be alleviate hunger around the Foreign Minister Dmytro blockade for holding up the barred them from departing.
signed, he said. world.” Kuleba told The Associated exports and causing the glob-

Sri Lanka in crisis: President flees and ire turns to PM

(AP) — Sri Lanka’s presi- in leadership then trained an air force plane bound for inside the office or standing and the opposition. It was not
dent fled the country their ire on the prime the Maldives, and he made on a rooftop terrace waving clear when that would hap-
Wednesday, plunging a na- minister and stormed his his prime minister the act- Sri Lanka’s flag — the lat- pen, in part because the op-
tion already reeling from office. ing president in his absence. est in a series of takeovers position is deeply fractured.
economic chaos into more That appeared to only further of government buildings by
political turmoil. Protest- President Gotabaya Raja- roil passions in the island na- demonstrators seeking a new Although he fled, Rajapaksa
ers demanding a change paksa and his wife left aboard tion, which has been gripped government. has yet to officially resign,
for months by an economic but the speaker of the parlia-
meltdown that has triggered “We need both ... to go ment said the president as-
severe shortages of food and home,” said Supun Eranga, sured him he would do so
fuel. a 28-year-old civil servant in later in the day.
the crowd. “Ranil couldn’t
Thousands of protesters who deliver what he promised The political impasse only
wanted Prime Minister Ranil during his two months, so he threatened to worsen the
Wickremesinghe to go had should quit. All Ranil did was bankrupt nation’s economic
anticipated that he would be try to protect the Rajapaksas.” collapse since the absence of
put in charge. They rallied an alternative government
outside his office compound, But Wickremesinghe ap- could delay a hoped-for
and some scaled the walls. peared on television to reit- bailout from the Interna-
The crowd roared its sup- erate that he would not leave tional Monetary Fund. In the
port for the people charging until a new government was meantime, the country is re-
in and tossed water bottles to in place — though he urged lying on aid from neighbor-
them. the Parliament speaker to find ing India and from China.
a new prime minister agree-
Dozens could later be seen able to both the government