Maruf BUZCUGIL Huseyin GOKCE/ANKARA
Russian Federation Ambassador Erkhov acknowledged that European shoppers can not hand over low-cost Russian gasoline. Addressing Turkish enterprise individuals, Erkhov stated, “The West will take the worth of its geopolitical ambitions out of your pocket.” The Ambassador acknowledged that the guarantees made to Russia within the grain hall settlement weren’t totally fulfilled. Ambassador of the Russian Federation Aleksei V. Erkhov answered the questions of WORLD. Noting that Ukraine advantages extra from the Grain Hall and that Russian merchandise are nonetheless not shipped to Europe, the Ambassador stated that developments could threaten meals safety sooner or later. Erkhov didn’t reply our query concerning the low cost request for Russian gasoline, stating that it was a industrial situation between Gazprom and Botaş.
■ If tensions proceed, how will the procurement course of be affected?
You used a really cautious time period: “continuation of pressure”. We name what is going on on as a “particular army operation,” whereas the Turkish authorities and others name it conflict. Battle at all times badly impacts the availability of individuals with meals, first-needs merchandise and, most significantly, vitality. As well as, it brings destruction, starvation and deprivation to those that don’t immediately take part within the conflict. Whereas the pipelines required to make sure vitality safety are blown up, whereas attempting responsible the proprietor of this pipeline and the gasoline inside, can vitality safety actually be in query?
In the meantime, it’s attention-grabbing that you’re involved concerning the “provide” to Europe, which has opted for sanctions restrictions and shall be personally answerable for them. What about Asia, Africa and Latin America? For instance, the share of probably the most needy African international locations (Somalia, Ethiopia, Yemen and Sudan) within the cargoes despatched from Ukraine inside the framework of the legendary “grain settlement” is 3%.
On the whole, I feel your query is a sign of the significance of the “grain settlement” concluded right here, in Turkey, and with Turkey’s assist. However when you ask me whether or not Russia is happy with the implementation of this settlement, I can not give a very constructive reply. The topic of the agreements concluded in Istanbul on July 22 of this 12 months will not be solely the transportation of Ukrainian meals supplies, but additionally from Russia. Agriculture normalization of exports of merchandise and fertilizers.
“Guarantees made in facilitating our provides haven’t been fulfilled”
Implementation of the half about Ukraine appears to be good. 8.5 million tons of grain got here out of Ukrainian ports. Severe adjustments haven’t been seen but when it comes to exports from Russia. After all, we provide plenty of merchandise on our personal to the worldwide market, together with Turkey, which historically buys giant portions of grain from us. Nevertheless, we don’t see the guarantees made to us about facilitating our provides being fulfilled. On this business the primary finance with the institution
We aren’t in a position to obtain funds for items delivered in circumstances the place “Rosselhozbank” is exported from the SWIFT system. Limitations to the export of Russian fertilizers through European international locations haven’t been eliminated. Entry to European ports is closed for Russian ships. The issue of not insuring our cargoes and carriers’ legal responsibility stays. All this, in the meantime, has the potential to negatively impression meals safety.
“Russia can now not assure the protection of civilian ships”
Now the scenario has escalated across the working grain aisle. Because of the terrorist assault carried out by the Kyiv regime towards Russian ships tasked with securing the grain hall on October 29 with the participation of British consultants, Russia can now not assure the protection of civilian dry cargo ships taking part within the Black Sea Initiative and subsequently needed to droop this observe on Saturday.
“Shoppers will be unable to surrender low-cost Russian gasoline”
■ Coverage statements have been made by the European Union and a few non-EU international locations to attenuate and, if doable, terminate gasoline purchases from Russia. Within the medium-long time period, does the Russian aspect assume that there shall be a reversal from these selections?
In your opinion, what would be the place of Russia, Europe and different international locations within the gasoline and oil market within the medium-long time period? Your query requires no less than as broad a solution as a doctoral thesis. Nevertheless, this must be requested to not me, however to the consultants of the oil and pure gasoline business, who’re at the moment attempting to make predictions. For instance, our esteemed colleague, Worldwide Energy To Fatih Birol, Head of the Company. In response to a really significant assertion he made lately, “the world wants Russian oil”. Let me additionally say that the slogan of “stopping gasoline purchases from Russia” has turn out to be a legend. It seems that customers merely can not hand over on low-cost Russian gasoline. The market is the market. We’ll see what occurs sooner or later. It will be higher for the governments of European states in the event that they had been prepared to desert the coverage of sanctions that’s fully defective and dangerous to them. If they do not, the voters in these international locations can pay a excessive worth for it, and I am positive they may have the chance to attract the appropriate conclusions from this example. Russia was, is, and can exist on this planet vitality market each within the medium and long run.
“Enterprise individuals concentrate on making a revenue, as Marx stated”
■ Can flexibility be supplied to Turkey, which is a crucial commerce companion, concerning merchandise that Russia has banned from exporting, together with some agricultural merchandise? In different phrases, will Turkey not have the ability to purchase merchandise that different international locations can not purchase? Russia doesn’t forbid anybody to conclude worthwhile commerce offers with it, quite the opposite, it encourages them. Come and purchase what we now have. Come and promote us what we want. It’s the US and the EU which can be attempting to impose the sanctions they wish to contemplate ‘suffocating’ towards us, attempting to limit commerce, together with your commerce with us. Now you resolve for your self whether or not it’s essential to commerce with Russia. When you’ve determined, let’s negotiate. As Karl Marx acknowledged, enterprise individuals concentrate on making a revenue. If there shall be earnings, there shall be offers. Even in areas that somebody would not like. The query about ‘privileges’ appears a bit crafty to me. Each settlement is the results of the consent of the events. If the worth is cheap for each the vendor and the client, the deal is finished. If it is inappropriate otherwise you’re afraid of one thing, you do not signal. When discussing such issues, I at all times consider the well-known American businessman of the twentieth century, ‘Occidental Petroleum’. oil firm founder Armand Hammer. He was the primary to go to Russia after the revolution, the primary to satisfy Lenin, the primary to signal a contract for the supply of medicines and different important items that nobody else wished to promote to the revolutionaries. And because of that, he made a fortune. After the 1969 Libyan revolution, he was the primary individual to go to this nation and call the federal government of this nation, and he gained a brand new fortune. He left very instructive reminiscences, I like to recommend everybody to learn it. As a matter of reality, as a Russian proverb says, ‘Braveness brings success’. All this might have a damaging impression on meals safety sooner or later.
Russian Federation Ambassador Aleksei V. Erkhov, WORLD Ankara Consultant Maruf Buzcugil and News He answered the questions of Director Hüseyin Gökçe concerning the agenda.
“OUR GRAIN PRODUCTION INCREASED FROM 116 MILLION TONS TO 148 MILLION TONS”
■ Is the strain affecting Russia’s agricultural output this 12 months?
Particular army operations didn’t have an effect on our agricultural sector. All the pieces signifies that this 12 months’s grain harvest shall be a report. In response to media studies, 148 million tons of grain had been harvested (earlier 12 months – 116 tons), in line with knowledge from October 20. Accordingly, our export potential will increase considerably. Russia shall be able to contribute to worldwide meals safety extra successfully than ever earlier than.
“THE ANTI-RUSSIAN SANCTIONS PARTICIPATE DAMAGES WERE NOT COMPENSED”
■ What shall be Russia’s response to doable requests from the EU and the USA concerning Turkey’s embargo on Russia? Why “doable”?
These calls for, as I perceive it, have already been put ahead by these attempting to get Turkey to hitch the sanctions imposed on us, with out hesitation to make use of any means, together with heavy blackmail. That is how I can interpret the letters and phone calls that the Turkish enterprise group and associations obtain from Western companions. Russia doesn’t approve of such actions, nobody likes such strategies. However after all, the choice will not be ours, Turkey, its authorities, enterprise individuals and other people will resolve.
“TURKISH TRADES WERE PUNISHED WITH THE DECISION ON MIR”
I can solely remind you that; Nobody has but compensated for the harm suffered by these taking part within the anti-Russian sanctions, and neither does it intend to. Pricey Turkish entrepreneurs, the West will take the worth of geopolitical ambitions out of your pocket. Similar to with the discontinuation of Mir playing cards. In reality, Turkish retailers who offered leather-based and furs in lodges or attracted Russian vacationers who couldn’t pay had been penalized. So assume for your self. We’re all adults, everybody understands the whole lot.
■ Can the beforehand agreed upon commerce between Turkey and Russia be carried out in Ruble and TL, to be applied additional?
I am positive it must be “satisfactory”, not “satisfactory”. If the currencies of third international locations intrude with bilateral commerce, then we want to consider working with different means. As a matter of reality, there are those that do that very efficiently each in Turkey and in Russia. Undoubtedly, that is the way forward for world commerce. -What are you able to say about the way forward for the continuing tasks of Turkish corporations doing enterprise in Russia? Are there any issues with their funds? Good query. I feel this must be requested of the businesses in query themselves. As for the Russian aspect, we’re very happy with the outcomes of our long-term cooperation and we’re decided to proceed this cooperation. After all, inside the frameworks and volumes that our Turkish companions shall be prepared for.
■ What would you say about Russia’s proposal to ascertain a hub in Turkey for gasoline shipments to Europe?
As I perceive it, our international locations are at the moment addressing this situation at an knowledgeable degree. After all, particulars are essential right here. We’ll know as quickly as agreements are reached.
■ Turkey is shopping for a big quantity of Russian gasoline. Particularly within the quick time period (for the winter of 2022-2023), is there an financial, political or different danger in gasoline provide, does the Russian aspect see any danger in delivery gasoline as a lot as Turkey’s demand on this interval?
Because the accountable representatives of your nation have advised me many instances, Turkey has at all times regarded Russia as a dependable gasoline provider and appreciated this reliability. We’ve at all times fulfilled our obligations in direction of Turkey. There isn’t a purpose to doubt that we are going to proceed to show this principled stance.