ST.PETERSBURG, June 9 - The Russian, Ukrainian and Kazakhstan agriculture ministers have proposed forming what they called a Black Sea grain pool for a speedier conquest of the global grain market.

"No time can be wasted. The market positions our countries have conquered in recent years, must be backed by serious investment in infrastructure, so a solid groundwork could be built to make grain from the Black Sea region competitive in the long-term perspective," Russian Agriculture Minister Yelena Skrynnik said at the world grain forum in St.Petersburg on Sunday.