INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
A Russian-flagged cargo ship at the center of a fight over grain between Kyiv and Moscow remained anchored Tuesday off Turkey's Black Sea
wrongdoing.And NATO-member Turkey has said nothing official in public as it tries to maintain open relations with both Moscow and Kyiv while
facing Ukrainian pressure to seize the ship.The saga started when a Kremlin-installed leader in southeastern Ukraine last Thursday announced
the launch of the first official grain shipments across the Black Sea since Russia invaded its neighbor in February.Russia claims to have
"nationalized" Ukrainian state assets and to be buying crops from local farmers
Ukraine says its grain is being stolen and used to fund Russia's war effort.Marine traffic websites then showed the Zhibek Zholy reaching
Turkey's Black Sea port of Karasu and stopping about a kilometer (half a mile) offshore.The ship's arrival was announced by Ukraine's
then told Ukrainian state television the vessel had been impounded by local coastguards.Turkish officials still offered no comment even
though the 140-meter (460-foot) ship was now clearly visible by holidaymakers lounging on Karasu's sandy beach.'Vacuum of
destination.But he also played down Moscow's role or the ship's importance to Russia's efforts to resume marine traffic from parts of
Ukraine now under its control."We have to look into this situation," said Lavrov."The ship really does appear to be Russian, sailing under
I think it belongs to Kazakhstan, while the cargo was being shipped under contract between Estonia and Turkey."Kazakhstan said the ship was
controlled by its national rail company but insisted it should bear no blame."There should be no consequences for Kazakhstan," Kazakh
industry minister Kairbek Uskenbayev told reporters."There were no restrictions on the Russian company that is currently leasing this
ship."A senior Turkish official source told AFP on condition of anonymity that the "problem arose due to a vacuum of authority at the post
of departure.""We are continuing to examine the ship's documents," the Turkish official said.But beachgoers watching the diplomatic drama
showed up."It never moved," said local pensioner Salise Aktan."On Sunday, a boat approached the ship and then left," added fellow beachgoer
Gulay Erol."I don't know why," the 33-year-old said.'Balanced policy'Turkey's reticence underscores the difficulty of its position in the
war.President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has had a tumultuous but close working relationship with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.He has tried
to use that access to thrust Turkey into the middle of diplomatic negotiations and talks on resuming grain shipments from Ukrainian
ports.But his Russian relationship is complicated by Turkey's international commitments as a member of the NATO defense bloc.Turkey's
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said last month that Ankara was investigating reports of Russian-seized Ukrainian grain reaching its Black
Sea shores.But he added that Turkey had been unable to find any stolen Ukrainian grain shipments.Ankara also supplies combat drones to
week that his country was trying to pursue "a balanced policy" because of its heavy reliance on Russian energy.Turkish defense officials met
with a Ukrainian delegation on Monday.No details from those talks were announced.
