Report: Türkiye’s Erdogan Spoke with Japan’s Kishida to Revive Black Sea Grain Deal

08 September 2023, India, New Delhi: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) meets with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, ahead of the G20 Summit in New Delhi. (dpa)
08 September 2023, India, New Delhi: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) meets with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, ahead of the G20 Summit in New Delhi. (dpa)
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Report: Türkiye’s Erdogan Spoke with Japan’s Kishida to Revive Black Sea Grain Deal

08 September 2023, India, New Delhi: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) meets with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, ahead of the G20 Summit in New Delhi. (dpa)
08 September 2023, India, New Delhi: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) meets with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, ahead of the G20 Summit in New Delhi. (dpa)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the G20 leaders' summit in New Delhi on reviving the Black Sea grain deal, two sources with knowledge of the matter said on Saturday.

Russia quit the deal in July - a year after it was brokered by the United Nations and Türkiye - complaining that its own food and fertilizer exports faced obstacles and that not enough Ukrainian grain was going to countries in need.

The sources who spoke to Reuters on the sidelines of the summit declined to give more details.

Erdogan had said earlier this week, after talks with Russia's Vladimir Putin, that it would soon be possible to revive the grain deal.

He said Ukraine should soften its negotiating position against Russia in talks over reviving the deal and export more grain to Africa rather than Europe.

However, Ukraine on Friday opposed the idea of easing sanctions on Russia in order to revive the deal.

Embassies of Türkiye and Japan in New Delhi did not immediately respond to Reuters' emailed requests for comment.

Japan's foreign minister will meet his Ukrainian counterpart in Kyiv on Saturday, the Japanese foreign ministry said.



Israeli PM Netanyahu Appoints New Ambassador to United States

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs a cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, on June 4, 2023. (AFP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs a cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, on June 4, 2023. (AFP)
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Israeli PM Netanyahu Appoints New Ambassador to United States

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs a cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, on June 4, 2023. (AFP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs a cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, on June 4, 2023. (AFP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed US-born Yechiel Leiter, an official who previously served as chief of staff in the finance ministry, as the next Israeli ambassador to the United States.

"Yechiel Leiter is a highly capable diplomat, an eloquent speaker, and possesses a deep understanding of American culture and politics," Netanyahu said in a statement, Reuters reported.

His appointment was also welcomed by Yisrael Ganz, the head of the Yesha Council, an umbrella organization representing councils of Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a territory Palestinians want as part of a future state.

Ganz said Leiter, who lives in the Gush Etzion settlement area, as "a key partner in English-language advocacy for Judea and Samaria", a name used by many Israelis for the West Bank, which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war.

Leiter's appointment came three days after Donald Trump's election to a second term as US president, celebrated by many Israelis because of his strong support for Israel.

As well as serving in the finance ministry, Leiter also held positions as deputy director general in the Education Ministry and acting chairman of the Israel Ports Company. His son was killed last year in the Gaza war while serving with the Israeli military.