What Role Does Turkey Play in Food Supply Security?

Ankara's Path Between Russia and Ukraine:

Turkey; As much as it plays a leading role in energy supply security, while the Ukraine-Russia war continues, it has taken it as a duty to assume a pivotal role in food supply security at least as much as it does. What is interesting, especially in terms of food supply security, is that with the start of the Ukraine-Russia war, Turkey took the task out of the situation, determined the gravity of the issue, and directly aspired to the task. In other words, Turkey foresaw what could happen, and within the framework of the impartial policies that it produced based in Ankara, with equal distance to everyone, Foreign Minister Mevlut Çavuşoğlu went all the way to Latin America and instilled confidence in countries in need of both Ukrainian and Russian wheat. Undoubtedly, the achievement of this initiative, of automatically assuming this task, has also been instrumental in the formation of a very important sympathy for Turkey in the world public opinion.

Food supply security, like energy supply security, requires careful programming, planning and budgeting. In other words, the developments that may occur in case of failure of the policies prepared to achieve the relevant targets and implemented in line with the short-middle-long-term plans are the sensitivity to reach dimensions that will not only affect food security but also threaten national security. As you know, ensuring food supply security is directly related to national security. There is a linear connection between ensuring both food and energy supply security and national security. However, the main issue that should not be forgotten is that this situation that has occurred is a matter of humanity, relieving people's suffering, alleviating hunger in the world especially in times of conflict, supporting developing countries and undoubtedly the expectation that stability can be achieved in this way.

Grain Corridor: Red Line

While the war between Russia and Ukraine continues for its 5th month, on the one hand, the Russian Forces try to control the places temporarily occupied, and on the other hand, in order to prevent the thirst of the Crimea in various parts of Ukraine; Permanent capture of cities such as Mariupol in order to ensure the integrity of the Donbas greatly hinders Ukraine's grain shipments. On the other hand, with the blockade of grain shipments by the Black Sea navy of Russia, Ukraine could not export and the world was greatly affected by this situation. About 20-25 million tons of grain are expected to be shipped at Ukrainian ports.

Turkey, which is the main actor of the Montreux Convention, which holds the Black Sea littoral and the Black Sea Strait, the Marmara Sea and the Mediterranean Straits, briefly the Turkish Straits, has claimed the solution of the problem in order to open the grain corridor, which is known as the "red line" in the public for grain shipment, to the world market, and is an organization that can be made under the umbrella of the UN. made recommendations for the systematic. All of Turkey's international initiatives have always been law-based, not palliative. With the start of the war, the Foreign Minister's visit to Latin American countries has been the signs of this opening. Both warring countries correctly identified this situation and as a gesture, it was possible for the Turkish ship 'Azov Concord' to leave the Ukrainian port of Mariupol.

The grain corridor proposed by the UN to overcome the wheat crisis affecting the world due to the war has elevated Turkey to a key role in the Black Sea. However, the allegation that the Russian-flagged 'Zhibek Zholy' ship, approaching Karasu Port with a grain load carrying wheat from the occupied regions to Turkey, was involved in illegal wheat export, also dictates the negativities in the process. The detention of the ship off the coast of Karasu Port, which is used for RO-RO voyages in the Black Sea, upon Ukraine's request, paved the way for a new crisis in the Russia-Ukraine-Turkey triangle. (1)

Opening Ukrainian Ports to Grain and Food Trade:

Dear readers, here's the thing. Yes, the point is: grain and foodstuff waiting in Ukrainian ports can be safely shipped by sea. It is a matter of opening a safe corridor for wheat in Ukraine by clearing the mines, that ships transport the wheat to the whole world and export it to the countries in need. The Ottawa Agreement or the ‘Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Storage, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and their Destruction, also known as the ‘Mine Ban Convention’ for short, which entered into force on 1 March 1999; While prohibiting the production, use, storage and transfer of mines, naval mines, which were seen and came to the fore in the Black Sea after the start of the Ukrainian war, continue to be the weapon of choice in modern naval warfare. While naval mines have become a common naval warfare tool since the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905; Civilian and commercial shipping also continue to suffer from the use of sea mines around the world.

As it will be remembered, it was reported that 10 of the mines placed by the Ukrainian navy in the Black Sea and the Sea of ​​Azov were broken by the effect of the wind, two of them were seen in Turkish territorial waters, and security concerns arose. The target of naval mines designed to destroy or damage ships, if used more frequently, prevents the enemy from accessing operationally important naval areas. (2)

Effect of Sea Mines:

Sea mines are laid according to a certain benchmark and a key in order to protect naval bases and ports against both surface and submarines. Sea Mines are places fixed in certain places by the laying as geographical coordinates. In this case, as a general principle, the main thing is that the minelayer should remove it. Mines are never laid in the form of scattering. A vagrant mine event can occur without rupture due to natural and meteorological conditions. Looking at the "Grain Corridor" issue from the point of view of sea mines within the scope of food supply security, the issue is a direct military issue, in other words, a security issue and a coordination issue.

Quad Meeting:

That is why the "Grain Corridor Coordination Meeting" was hosted and under the responsibility of the Ministry of National Defense, under the supervision of the UN, on 13 July 2022 with the participation of the representatives of the Ukrainian-RF Ministries of Defense in Istanbul. At this point, the importance of the Montreux Agreement emerges. Inspired by the 'Quad Mini Summit' held the day before the NATO Leaders' Summit, to the 'Grain Corridor Coordination Meeting'; It would be wrong to say “Quad Summit” or “Quad Summit in Istanbul for Grain Corridor”. In fact, it is the "Foursome Meeting".

A "Quadruple Meeting" was held between the military delegations of the defense ministries of Turkey, Russia and Ukraine and the United Nations delegation on July 13, 2022 at the Kalender Kasrı, or more accurately, at the Kalender Orduevi. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated the importance of this meeting held in Istanbul at the press conference held at the UN Headquarters in New York on 13 July 2022. It was an important initiative that he stated that he was a beacon of hope and that he thanked Turkey. (3)

Russia's Terms of Peace:

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dimitro Kuleba's statement that the grain corridor is in the last stage and everything depends on Russia's steps after this stage also shows the signs of the Putin-Zelensky 'Tripartite Summit' hosted by President Erdoğan soon in Istanbul. Another indication is that Russian President Putin, who increased the peace conditions from three to five on the 24th day of the Russia-Ukraine War, reduced the peace conditions to three again at the point reached today.

Evaluating this situation with a sense of duty and visiting the operation area in Ukraine for the second time, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu supervised the Russian troops and gave instructions to the commanders working in the forward lines to boost the morale of the soldiers. According to a research project carried out by the BBC using open sources and talking to the families of soldiers, the proportion of high-ranking soldiers who have died in the Ukraine war to date has reached quite surprising figures. Western officials, on the other hand, stated that morale in the Russian army was very low; They argue that respected top generals are driven to the front to raise morale. (4)

Evaluating the possibility of a "Tripartite Summit" in Istanbul over the "Grain Corridor Coordination Meeting", President of Ukraine Zelenskiy expressed this situation with the following sentences:

“We are making really significant efforts to restore food supply to the world market. I am grateful to the United Nations and Turkey for their efforts. Not only our state needs the success of this story, but the whole world, without exaggeration," he said. Long story short, the parties have a serious trust in Turkey, but let's not forget this. It should not be forgotten the situation of the two aircraft belonging to the Turkish Armed Forces, which remained in Ukraine, to which they were sent for humanitarian aid and human evacuation.

Mutually Agreed Topics:

So now the question is? On which issues was the “Grain Corridor Coordination Meeting” agreed? The issues decided by the meeting agenda can be summarized as follows:

1. The fact that the meeting was held under the umbrella of the UN would increase the positive impressions fed to TR by the world public opinion.

2. With the opening of 3 corridors over 4 ports in Odessa and the Black Sea passage security of the Grain Corridors and the security of passage from the Turkish Straits (Black Sea (Istanbul)-Marmara Sea-Mediterranean (Çanakkale)), the parties have decided on a triple joint control especially at the port exits. .

3. It was decided to establish an operations center in Istanbul within the framework of a general understanding and harmony.

4. It is aimed to extract 30-35 million tons of food with an economic value of 35 billion dollars up to 8 months from the corridors created.

As can be seen, it is considered to be really pleasing for our people in today's environment that products from both RF and Ukraine are sold 25 percent cheaper in Turkey compared to other markets.

Conclusion:

After all, what I can say is that Turkey has assumed a facilitating role both to reconcile the warring sides and to eliminate the restrictions that the conflicts have brought on other actors. In other words, Turkey talks to the parties and tries to make the work happen as planned before an undesirable situation occurs. Turkey fulfills its duties duly and pays utmost attention not to damage the serious trust of the parties in Turkey. Turkey's expectation, dear readers, is that the ships loaded with grain will arrive at their destination safely, following a safe and safe course of departure from the ports as soon as possible.

References:

(1) Fehim Taştekin, ‘Tahıl koridoru’ planı Karadeniz’de battı mı?’, Al Monitor, 7 Temmuz 2022; https://www.al-monitor.com/tr/originals/2022/07/turkey-under-pressure-crack-down-russian-shipments-stolen-ukrainian-grain/Erişim Tarihi 17.07.2022/

(2) Diken, Dünyanın görünmeyen öldürücü kirliliği: Mayınlar ve patlayıcı savaş kalıntıları, 

03.04.2022; https://www.diken.com.tr/dunyanin-gorunmeyen-oldurucu-kirliligi-mayinlar-ve-patlayici-savas-kalintilari/Erişim Tarihi 17.07.2022/

(3) Sesli Makale, Tahıl Koridoru İçin İstanbul'da Kritik Toplantı! 13 Temmuz 2022; https://seslimakale.com.tr/haberdetay/tahil-koridoru-icin-istanbulda-kritik-toplanti-24888/Erişim Tarihi 17.07.2022/

(4) Olga Ivshina ve Kateryna Khinkulova, “Rusya'nın Ukrayna'da ölen generalleri bize savaşla ilgili ne anlatıyor?”, BBC Rusça Servisi, 20 Haziran 2022; https://www.bbc.com/turkce/haberler-dunya-61863836/Erişim Tarihi 17.07.2022/