Russia, UN start grain deal consultations in Geneva

GENEVA, June 10 (TASS): A Russian delegation and UN representatives began another round of talks in Geneva on Friday to discuss a memorandum that was signed in Istanbul in July of last year to supply food and fertilizer to the global market, Russian and UN officials told TASS.

The Russian delegation is led by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin, and the UN is represented by the Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Rebeca Grynspan.

The specific venue of the meeting in Geneva and its detailed agenda haven't been disclosed. The Russian permanent office in Geneva and a UNCTAD spokeswoman told TASS the meeting was underway.

"The discussions are proceeding as planned. There's nothing else to add at this point," the UNCTAD spokeswoman said.

The current consultations were precipitated by an explosion at the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline. Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Ukrainian saboteurs blew up a section of the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline in the Kharkov Region on the evening of June 5, injuring a number of people. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow will leave no stone unturned in its investigation of the incident, but it was obvious that Kiev was never interested in the resumption of the pipeline's operations.