UPDATE - UN chief hails talks in Türkiye between US, Russian intel officials

UPDATES WITH MORE QUOTES FROM UN SECRETARY-GENERAL GUTERRES; REVISES HEADLINE, DECK

By Merve Aydogan

BALI, Indonesia (AA) - The head of the UN on Monday called reports of Russian and US intel officials holding talks in Türkiye's capital Ankara "very positive" and an "extremely relevant development in relation to the future."

At a press conference on the sidelines of G-20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the UN was not involved in talks held between top US and Russian intelligence officials and hosted by the Turkish National Intelligence Organization, as confirmed on Monday by Turkish officials.

"I think it is very positive that US and Russia have talks because that is an extremely relevant development in relation to the future. But we are not involved," Guterres affirmed.

On renewing the Black Sea grain initiative, brokered by the UN and Türkiye but set to expire this weekend, Guterres voiced hope for a meeting between the delegations of Ukraine and Russia at the summit.

"There was lot of progress in removing obstacles to the export of Russian food and fertilizers. I am hopeful that our efforts will go on being successful and will be able to remove last obstacles," he said.

The UN head also expressed hopes for the Black Sea grain initiative to be renewed as the exports that it allows "are extremely important for today's world."

Saying he will focus at the G-20 summit on "the food and energy crises, and on the digital transformation of our economies and societies," Guterres added: "My message on food is that we need urgent action to prevent famine and hunger in a growing number of places around the world."

He stressed that "efforts to ensure Russian food and fertilizers can flow to global markets are essential to global food security."

Noting that the grain deal has "already helped to stabilize markets and bring food prices down," the UN head said they are "working to end all obstacles to the free flow of Russian food and fertilizers to global markets."

-'Most precarious moment in generations'

On July 22, Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which had paused after the start of the Ukraine war in February.

The parties are currently negotiating a possible extension and expansion beyond its Nov. 19 deadline.

The agreement helped stave off a global food crisis, as Russia and Ukraine are two of the world's biggest grain exporters.​​​​​​​

But Moscow has complained about the deal’s implementation, saying it still faces difficulty selling fertilizer and food due to Western sanctions.​​​​​​​

Guterres further stressed that the world is "facing the most pivotal, precarious moment in generations."

"Geopolitical divisions are triggering new conflicts and making old ones even more difficult to resolve," he added

Saying that the G-20 summit "is ground zero for bridging divisions and finding answers to these crises and more," Guterres called climate "the defining challenge of our age."

"G-20 countries are responsible for 80% of global emissions. G-20 leaders can make or break the Climate Solidarity Pact. Under this pact, they would make extra efforts this decade to keep the limit of 1.5 degrees alive," he added.