Ukraine, Turkey and Russia with the assistance of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have agreed on the facilitation of safe shipping for export of grain, food and fertilizers (including ammonia) from the Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdenny sea ports during 120 days with the possibility of extension.

The document was signed in Istanbul on Friday, July 22. Infrastructure Minister of Ukraine Oleksandr Kubrakov in the presence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the trilateral document with Defense Minister of Turkey Hulusi Akar and UN Secretary-General, who also signed the second trilateral document with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

The initiative is based on agreements of Parties of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, says the document, the copy of which is available to the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency.

In particular, the Parties agreed on the following:

- all Parties will provide maximum assurances regarding a safe and secure environment for all vessels engaged in this initiative;

- a Joint Coordination Center (JCC) will be set up in Istanbul under the auspices of the UN and including representatives of all Parties and the UN;

- inspection teams will be set up in Turkey, consisting from all Parties and the UN, and their primary responsibility will be to check for the absence of unauthorized cargoes and personnel on board vessels inbound to or outbound from the Ukrainian ports.

All activities in Ukrainian territorial waters will be under authority and responsibility of Ukraine, says the document.

The Parties will not undertake any attacks against merchant vessels and other civilian vessels and port facilities engaged in this initiative.

Should demining be required, a minesweeper of another country shall sweep the approaches to the Ukrainian ports, according to the document.

Merchant vessels will be prior registered in the JCC and will be technically monitored for the duration of their passage through the maritime humanitarian corridor, agreed by all Parties.

The JCC will develop and disseminate a detailed orientation operational and communications plan, including identification of safe harbors and medical relief options.

To prevent any provocations and incidents, the movement of vessels transiting the maritime humanitarian corridor will be monitored by the Parties remotely.

"No military ships, aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) may approach the maritime humanitarian corridor closer than a distance agreed by the JCC, without the authorization of the JCC, and after consultation with all Parties," says the document.

This initiative will remain in effect for 120 days from the date of signature by all Parties and can be extended automatically for the same period, unless one of the Parties notifies the other of the intent to terminate the initiative, or to modify it.

At the same time, as Ukraine has stressed numerous times, the signature of the agreement on export of Ukrainian grain does not mean that the security regime in the Black Sea would be relaxed.