In the last few days, we read many times about the Montreux Convention, but what is it and how will it affect the war?
In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Turkey invoked the Montreux Convention of 1936 as an attempt to stop the escalation in Ukraine. Stating that the situation has turned into a war, Turkey’s Foreign Minister activated the Montreux Convention and banned Russian vessels from entering the Black Sea.
After the Treaty of Lausanne had demilitarized the Dardanelles in 1923 and Fascist Italy took control of the Greek-inhabited Dodecanese Islands off the west coast of Turkey, the Turks feared that Italy would seek to exploit access to the straits to expand its dominance into Anatolia and the Black Sea region. In April 1935 the Turkish government demanded a new straits regime and petitioned the League of Nations to approve the restoration of the Dardanelles forts. Turkey was thus willing to engage in negotiations to secure the inviolability of its territory but, at the same time, develop the commercial navigation between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. So, the Convention Regarding the Regime of the Straits, known simply as the Montreux Convention, established Turkey’s control over both the Bosporus and the Dardanelles Straits. The international agreement was signed by Australia, Bulgaria, France, Greece, Japan, Romania, the Soviet Union, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and Yugoslavia and has been in effect since November 1936.
Turkey has used the Convention far before: during World War II Turkey closed the Straits to warships belonging to combatting nations which prevented the access for sending warships, also blocking the Soviet Union from participating.
According to the Montreux Convention, only nine warships are allowed to pass through the Straits at any one time. There are limits on how big the ships can be both individually and as a troop. No ship can exceed 15000 metric tons. Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a live interview with broadcaster CNN Turk “Turkey will implement all provisions of Montreux Convention in a transparent manner” (CNN, 2022, p. Isil Sariyuce and Arwa Damon), but also explaining that “However, the Montreux Convention also states that the ships of countries involved in a conflict have the right to return to their bases and must be allowed to do so". (ANSAMED, 2022)
While Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he considered "Russia's attack on Ukraine unacceptable" (Damon, CNN, 2022, p. Isil Sariyuce and Arwa Damon) and labeled the situation as a war, he also said that Turkey would not abandon its ties with Russia or Ukraine.
Closing the Straits may never have a military impact on the Russian Ukrainian war, but it is the only way Turkey has for punishing Russia for its crime of aggression and showing commitment to international law.
In invoking the convention, Turkey sent out a significant message to Russia: it is time to stand with the international community and with Ukraine.
Bibliography
ANSAMED. (2022, 02 25). ANSA. Tratto da ANSA MED: https://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/sections/transport/2022/02/25/turkey Accssed on 7/03/2022
Damon, I. S. (2022). CNN. Tratto da https://edition.cnn.com/2022/02/28/middleeast/mideast-summary-02-28-2022-intl/index.html Accessed on 7/03/2022
Damon, I. S. (2022, 03 01). CNN. Tratto da https://edition.cnn.com/2022/02/28/middleeast/mideast-summary-02-28-2022-intl/index.html Accessed on 7/03/2022
Morewood, S. S. (2005). Middle Eastern Studies . Taylor & Francis, Ltd.
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