Turkish parliament refuses to close straits for Russian ships due to Montreux Convention
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Turkish Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop, commenting on calls to close the passage through its straits for Russian ships to prevent them from entering the Black Sea, said that Ankara would strictly abide by the Montreux agreement. For this reason, the Turkish authorities will not take such steps, he stressed. The quote leads RIA Novosti.
“The provisions of the Montreux agreement are clear, and Turkey will strictly comply with its provisions,” he stressed, commenting on the refusal to close the passage to Russian ships.
What does the Montreux Convention say?
According to a 1936 document, Turkey has sovereignty over the Bosphorus and Dardanelles from the Black to the Mediterranean Sea. It undertakes to respect the principles of international maritime law and preserve the freedom of passage of merchant ships of all countries, both in peacetime and in wartime. The rules for the passage of warships depend on whether they belong to the Black Sea Fleet or the non-Black Sea Fleet.
Earlier, Reuters, citing Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, noted that even if Turkey decides to accept Ukraine's request and close the straits for Russian warships, this will only prevent them from moving in the other direction, from their base to the Mediterranean Sea.
So Cavusoglu responded to the request of the Ukrainian Embassy in Turkey to close the Dardanelles for Russian ships after the start of the military operation in the Donbass.
