Turkey warns countries not to pass warships through straits

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu attends a news conference with Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib in Beirut, Lebanon November 16, 2021. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File Photo

ANKARA, Feb 28 (Reuters) – Turkey has warned both Black Sea and non-Black Sea countries not to pass warships through its Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was reported as saying on Monday.

The 1936 Montreux Convention allows Turkey to limit naval transit of its straits during wartime but has a clause exempting ships returning to their registered base.

“We implemented what Montreux says, and we will do so from now on. There has been no request for passage through the straits until today,” the state news agency Anadolu reported Cavusoglu as saying.

At least four Russian ships are currently waiting on Turkey’s decision to cross from the Mediterranean.

Reporting by Ece Toksabay
Editing by Chris Reese

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